by Kimberly Rinker, Administrator, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund

Columbus, OH — Trainer Norm Parker had a banner night at Scioto Downs on Wednesday (July 19), winning a pair of four $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes contests for 2-year-old trotting fillies.

Parker, 56, made the trek to Scioto Downs from his home base of The Meadows in Pennsylvania and his rookie fillies — who are each owned and bred by Robert J. Key — more than paid their way.

Conrad photo

Trainer Norm Parker harnessed both Looking For Zelda (above) and Sugar Break to victories in Ohio Sires Stakes on Wednesday.

First, Parker harnessed 2-1 Looking For Zelda to victory, who finished second but was placed first when 3-1 Tickle My Fancy (Josh Sutton) made several choppy breaks in the late stretch. The Break The Bank K lass had won OSS leg one at Northfield in 1:59.1 for driver Tony Hall, who was back in the sulky for this second triumph. Tickle My Fancy was placed third and that moved third-place finisher, 28-1 longshot Dashanay (Chris Page), up to second.

“Paul Reed trained both of these fillies down in Florida all winter for (owner) Bob (Key) and we got them the first part of May,” Parker offered. “We just put the finishing touches on their training. ‘Zelda’ has been perfect throughout, and we’ve been careful to keep her quiet, as the Break The Bank Ks can tend to get a little hot.

“Tony (driver Hall) certainly wanted to win with ‘Zelda’ but he wanted to do it the right way and that’s why he sat in with her tonight. He told me that he wants to teach her to race correctly so that she can control her speed as she progresses.”

The victory — Looking For Zelda’s second in as many starts — upped her career earnings to $40,000. Time for the mile was 1:56.3, which equaled the Scioto track record for 2-year-old trotting fillies.

Looking For Zelda is the second foal out of the Conway Hall mare My Winning Way K 3,1:59.4f ($77,488) and is a half-sister to the Muscle Massive colt Boyz N Guitars 2,1:58.3f ($24,007), who is also owned by Key.

Parker then tightened the girth on 9-5 Sugar Break, another Break The Bank K lass who was clocked in 1:57.4 in her first career victory with Hall in the sulky.

“She’s been a bit more slow to mature, but is a nice big filly, who is getting there,” Parker said. “She’s getting the hang of things, just a bit more slowly than the other filly.”

Hall moved Sugar Break three-wide around the final turn and the solidly-gaited filly got up just in time to best 65-1 longshot Risky Deal (Crist Hershberger) by a head at the wire. Champagne Hall finished third, two lengths back, at odds of 5-2 for driver Aaron Merriman.

Sugar Break now has $23,125 in her bank account for owner-breeder Key. She is the first foal out of the Angus Hall mare Sugar Heart 3,2:02.2f ($7,199).

Impinktoo, a Jim Dailey-trainee, posted a 1:57.4 clocking via her OSS victory. Peter Wrenn was in the sulky behind the 4-1 choice, who is owned by Billy Walters, Joe McLead and Rtk Racing. The Manofmanymissions lass used come-from-behind tactics to score the win, the first of her career in two starts. Red Storm was second at 6-1 for Aaron Merriman, while 14-1 Simplyamission was third with Tyler Smith at the controls.

Impinktoo had previously finished second in leg one at Northfield Park on July 3 to the aforementioned Looking For Zelda and now has $30,000 in lifetime earnings. Bred by Jay Mossbarger, Impinktoo is a half-sister to world champion Pinkman 3,1:51 ($2.5 million) and is the third foal out of the Angus Hall mare Margie Seelster 1:55.1s ($247,483). Co-owner McLead purchased the filly for $27,000 at the 2016 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

Sesame was given a perfect steer by Aaron Merriman to win her OSS division in 1:58.4. The Triumphant Caviar daughter was sent off as the even-money choice and prevailed by a neck over the hard-driving, 14-1 longshot Ed’s Chargin Lady (Tyler Smith), while Storm Beach O’Kidd was third with Peter Wrenn at the lines.

Conditioned and co-owned by Chris Beaver in partnership with Wilbur Lang, Sesame had won her OSS leg one event at Northfield Park on July 3 in 1:59. Bred by Jonas L. Schlabach, she is now two-for-two, with $40,000 in her seasonal coffers. Sesame is the fifth of six foals out of the Credit Winner mare Jewell Creek and is a half-sister to Explosive Ripple (by Explosive Matter) 4,1:58.f ($84,089).