by Kimberly Rinker, OSDF Administrator

Columbus, OH — The 2018 Ohio Sires Stakes season commences this weekend with events for 3-year-old trotters and pacers of both genders at Miami Valley Raceway on Friday (May 4) and Sunday (May 6).

Sophomore fillies are in the spotlight Friday night, with two $50,000 trotting and four $40,000 pacing divisions. Miami Valley Racing Secretary Gregg Keidel found 17 trotting and 32 pacing OSS eligibles in his entry box earlier this week for leg one of the four-leg OSS series.

Returning is last year’s freshman trotting standout Looking For Zelda, a multiple OSS winner in 2017, who comes into her division (race three) fresh off a 1:55.2 victory in the $50,000 Scarlet & Gray on April 27.

The daughter of Break The Bank K, who was bred and is owned by Bob Key, has been conditioned throughout her career by Norm Parker, and sports a hefty $253,675 bankroll.

“Zelda had a good winter,” confirmed Parker, from his training base at The Meadows. “She came back strong and is kind of the same horse, just a little bit more mature. The (EHV-1) quarantine slowed us up a bit, but it actually helped, as it gave me a little more time to get her ready.”

Looking For Zelda is an eight-time winner in 12 career starts, and will start from post nine with regular pilot Tony Hall at the controls.

Conrad photo

Impinktoo has earned $173,290 in her career, with a trio of wins in 12 starts.

Impinktoo, who captured the $250,000 OSS trotting championship for her division in 2017 in a mild upset in 1:57, returns to battle in the first OSS division (race two). The Manofmanymissions distaff has earned $173,290 in her career, with a trio of wins in 12 starts for Ohio partners Joe McLead, Billy Walters and Rtk Racing, under the watchful eye of trainer Jim Dailey.

Ohio’s trotting guru Chris Beaver sends out three contestants in this first OSS leg, including Sandra Burnett’s Red Storm in the first division (race two). This Stormin Normand homebred captured both the $15,000 elimination and $40,000 Hackett final on April 9 and 16, respectively, upping her career earnings to $149,975, before finishing a close second to the aforementioned Looking For Zelda in the Scarlet & Gray.

Beaver’s other entrants include California Love (race two), who won a Northfield conditioned event on April 25 in 1:58.4 in a wire-to-wire effort, and Sesame (race three), a daughter of Triumphant Caviar with $87,797 in her lifetime bank account.

In the four $40,000 divisions for 3-year-old Ohio-bred pacing fillies, last year’s $250,000 OSS championship winner Bad Girls Rule returns to vie from post eight in the fourth OSS division (race 10). Conditioned by Jim Dailey for the 3rd Floor Stables, this daughter of World Of Rocknroll amassed $181,816 as a freshman, winning four of eight starts. Dailey also sends out $28,915-earner Mercilless in the first division (race four).

The Tye Loy-trainee Big Bad Goldie also goes postward in the fourth division (race 10). This Big Bad John daughter captured the 2017 OSS consolation for freshman pacing fillies in 1:54.3, and sports a lifetime bankroll of $60,701 for the Ohio trio of David Wills, Richard Coad and Doug Gregory.

Trainer Brian Brown — the 2017 USHWA Trainer of the Year and Good Guy award winner — sends seven fillies postward in the OSS pacing divisions, most notably Prsntpretynperfect in division two (race six). The Big Bad John lass earned $125,166 for Jennifer Brown, Richard Lombardo and Marlene Taylor last season, sweeping all four $40,000 legs of her OSS contests, and the $43,333 Ohio Breeders Championship for 2-year-olds at Delaware.

Baron Remy, a $124,189 winner for trainer Ronnie Burke, goes behind the gate in the third OSS division (race eight), vying against Believe In Waco, a $125,598 earner for trainer Steve Novak. The former is a daughter of Yankee Cruiser owned by Burke Racing, Silva, Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi, while the latter is a Believeinbruiser distaff owned by Gerald Mijal. Believe In Waco was a smart second in last year’s $250,000 OSS championship for 2-year-old fillies, while Baron Remy captured her $43,333 Ohio Breeders Championship at Delaware and most recently took a $50,000 Scarlet & Gray division at Miami Valley in a career best 1:52.

Up Front Flor Ida, who won both her $15,000 Hackett elimination and $40,000 final (in 1:52.4), hails from post one in the first OSS division (race four). Trained by Tim McKoy for Kevin McKinney and Virginia McKoy, this bay Woodstock daughter has a bankroll of $55,824 and leaves from the coveted rail slot.

Ohio Sires Stakes action continues on Sunday afternoon at Miami Valley Raceway, with contests for 3-year-old pacing and trotting colts and geldings.