by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator

Northfield, OH — The final session of the 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes (OSS) season wrapped up Saturday night (Oct. 13) at Northfield Park with eight $60,000 consolation divisions for 2- and 3-year-old trotters and pacers of both genders. Driver Aaron Merriman captured three of the eight OSS events, while Ronnie Wrenn Jr., won two of the $60,000 contests.

JJ Zamaiko photo

Bella’sRose Power gave driver Aaron Merriman the first of three $60,000 Ohio SiresStakes Consolation wins on Saturday night, Oct. 13 at Northfield Park.

Merriman took the first event with an easy, 1:57.2 front-stepping performance aboard 2-5 Bella’s Rose Power, a freshman daughter by Triumphant Caviar co-owned and trained by Chris Beaver in the 2-year-old filly trot. Bella’s Rose Power upped her earnings to $80,135 with the victory, her second in nine starts. She is owned in partnership with Beaver, along with breeder Marion Beachy, J. Gallagher and Steve Zeehandelar.

The talented reinsman next guided 6-5 Infrontandforgetit to a perfect-trip scoring 1:58 mile for trainer Jim Arledge Jr. in the 3-year-old filly trot. The sophomore Dontyouforgetit lass sat behind the pace-setting 6-5 To Russia (Ryan Stahl) until the wire, when she overpowered rival Bugs MVP (Ronnie Wrenn, Jr.) by a neck to notch her sixth career win. Lifetime, Infrontandforgetit has $95,726 in her coffers for G. & W. Buckey, M. McLoughlin and Spring Mill Ventures.

Merriman returned to the Northfield winner’s circle with 1-5 favorite Yankee Boots, a Steve Carter trainee in the 2-year-old colt and gelding pace. The son of Yankee Cruiser used wire-to-wire tactics to capture his tenth start in 15 tries in 1:53.2 for the partnership of Carter, Grubbs, Carter & Whitacre, finishing a neck ahead of the hard-trying 7-2 Seattle Hanover (Chris Page). Yankee Boots now has $123,010 in earnings from this latest victory.

Wrenn Jr.’s first score came with 6-1 Bad Sammie in the 2-year-old filly pace. The freshman Big Bad John lass picked a perfect time to break her maiden in 1:55.3 for Patty Roth and Alan Keith. Trained by Mike Roth, Bad Sammie pushed her lifetime bankroll to $60,065 as she finished half a length in front of even-money favorite Officially My Way (Jason Thompson).

Wrenn Jr., next reined 9-5 favorite Dragonology to victory in the 3-year-old colt and gelding pace for trainer Ronnie Burke and owners Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco and Aws Stables. Dragonology took the lead from the start and never looked back, in front at ever quarter pole throughout the mile. The sophomore gelded son by Dragon Again took his second seasonal win and fourth lifetime victory in 1:53.1, and now has $158,167 in earnings.

Canadian reinsman Anthony MacDonald steered 2-1 Westfiftysecond to a front-stepping 1:58 victory in the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot for trainer Jason McGinnis and Thestable Westfiftysecond. The gregarious youngster was 7-1/2 lengths in front at the wire and now has $54,832 in his lifetime coffers for his owners, who comprise a group of 31 partners.

The Doug Rine trained and co-owned 1-5 favorite Dance Withsomebody had no problem establishing his dominance in the 3-year-old colt and gelding trot with Robin Miller aboard. The Dejarmbro gelding was clocked in 1:56.1 and was never challenged throughout the one mile test. He’s now earned $122,512 for Rine and co-owners Richard and Thomas Rine.

The 3-year-old filly pace provided fans with a heart-stopping finish as 9-5 Princess Rougarou and driver Chris Page stopped the clock in 1:53.2 with a come-from-behind effort. The homebred Big Bad John lass is owned, trained and was bred by George Hensley Jr., and upped her earnings to $119,652 with her seventh lifetime win in 31 starts.