by Kimberly Rinker, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund Administrator

Columbus, OH — The Ohio Sires Stakes nominations for 2- and 3-year-old trotting and pacing colts and fillies total 1,180 this year, up three percent from 2017.

Horses sired by a stallion registered with the Ohio State Racing Commission and standing in the Buckeye State in 2018 are eligible to the rich Ohio Sires Stakes. A total of 141 stallions are currently standing at Ohio-based facilities for this year’s breeding season.

The 2018 figures are 50 percent higher than 2015, when a total of 778 youngsters were nominated to the four-leg program, which this season, features championship purses of $275,000 (to be raced Sept. 8 at Scioto Downs) and $60,000 consolations (to be raced Oct. 13 at Northfield Park) for each of the eight divisions.

This year, 773 trotting and pacing youngsters of both genders (360 fillies and 413 colts) were nominated in the 2-year-old divisions, while the sophomore ranks had 407 (193 fillies and 214 colts) foals nominated. That’s a modest seven percent increase of 3-year-old nominees over last season’s total of 379, while the freshman nominees were nearly identical, with 769 freshman nominees in 2017.

Among freshman trotters, 207 colts were nominated this season, compared with 183 in 2017. In the 2-year-old trotting filly division, 166 nominations were received, an increase of five horses from 2017. In the freshman pacing divisions, 206 colts (an 11 percent decrease from 2017) and 194 fillies were nominated to the program for 2018.

Among Ohio-sired 3-year-olds, 89 trotting colts (a 17 percent increase from 2017) and 86 trotting fillies (a 20 percent increase from 2017) are Ohio Sires Stakes eligible, while 125 pacing colts and 107 pacing fillies were nominated — figures similar to last season.

While the overwhelming majority of nominations came from individuals and stables residing and training in the Buckeye State, nominations were also received from Florida, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Tennessee and Mississippi.

In addition, $60,000 championships have been reinstated for 4-year-old & up horses — to be raced Oct. 6 at Northfield Park.