Columbus, OH — Three fields of trotters and two pacing divisions are set to vie in Ohio Sires Stakes contests on Sunday afternoon (May 5) at Miami Valley Gaming & Racing. First race post time is 2:05 p.m. (EDT).

A total of 25 sophomore male trotters will battle in three $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes (races two, six and 10), while 18 sophomore male pacers will wage war in two $50,000 OSS events (races four and eight).

Helen Carlo, Racing Operations Manager for Miami Valley Gaming & Racing, says she’s excited to host the 2019 Ohio Sires Stakes at her home track.

“I especially like to host the first leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes because it’s the first look at the exciting season ahead for Ohio harness racing fans,” Carlo acknowledged. “The owners and trainers won’t miss it, as well as the fans.”

Wittyville heads up the Ohio Sires Stakes trotting division on Sunday. Conrad photo.

Last year’s $275,000 OSS 2-year-old trot championship winner Wittyville returns (race 10, post seven). Trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi, the son of Manofmanymissions has career earnings of $234,653. He won a single leg of the OSS last season in 1:56.2 and then scored a 1:57 victory by three lengths in the championship.

Lane Of Stone, trained by Mark Winters, won three OSS legs in 2018 for Harry and Iris Horowitz of Brooklyn, N.Y., garnering $138,750 in OSS competition, and was second to Wittyville in the championship. He’ll go postward in the first OSS trotting division on Sunday (race two, post two).

Cumberland Gap and Dylan The Great — each of whom captured one OSS leg as freshmen — will go head-to-head with Lane Of Stone in this same division. Renee Baslaugh conditions Cumberland Gap, who won OSS leg three last year in 1:57.4, while Dylan The Great is a Ron Burke trainee who won his OSS leg three last season in 1:58.

Yes heads up the second trotting division (race 6, post one) for trainer Jason McGinnis. Yes captured two OSS legs in 2018: leg two in 1:59 and leg four in 1:57 for Thestable Yes Group of Canada. Never Say Uncle vies in this same division for trainer Chris Beaver and his Ohio-based partnership. At 2, Never Say Uncle won his OSS leg two in 1:58.4, earning $35,200 in OSS competition.

Oh So Pine, another Jason McGinnis trainee, won his OSS leg one as a freshman in 2:01.3 for Thestable Oh So Pine Group of Canada. He had the misfortune of drawing in against Wittyville (race 10, post three).

In the pacing ranks, 2018 championship winner High On Paydaze returns to action for trainer Brian Brown and owners Scott Hagemeyer, Robert Mondillo and Donald Robinson. This prolific youngster swept the first three legs of the OSS series at two in 1:53.1, 1:54.2 and 1:54.1 and was third in leg four, then captured the $275,000 championship handily at Scioto Downs on Sept. 8. The son of Nob Hill High heads up the first pacing division (race four, post eight).

In this same pacing division (race four, post seven) is Rose Run Ulysses, a striking chestnut conditioned by Kim Dailey for herself and Carl and Melanie Atley. Based at the Urbana, Ohio, fairgrounds, Rose Run Ulysses won OSS legs one, two and four last season in 1:52.2, 1:54.1 and 1:52 for his connections, with a third-place finish in leg three. The son of Western Vintage has $86,548 in career earnings and makes his sophomore debut in Sunday’s OSS contest.

Rock Candy, who was second in the first three OSS legs as a 2-year-old before winning leg four in 1:53, also vies in this division (race four, post nine). The Pet Rock sophomore is trained by Brian Brown for Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco and Richard Lombardo.

Gold Digger King, who won OSS leg one at two in 1:52.4 is also in this same contest (race four, post six) for trainer Scott Mogan and owner Linda Van Camp.

Authentic Hanover, a two-time winner last season in OSS competition in 1:53.3 and 1:53.4, heads up the second OSS pacing division (race eight, post four). Trained by Dustin Arledge, this Western Vintage gelding has $61,678 in career earnings. Single OSS leg 2-year-old winners Dislocator (post six), Smackitwithahammer (post seven) and Doo Wop West (post one) return as sophomores to battle against Authentic Hanover in this same event.