by Kimberly Rinker, Administrator, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund

Columbus, OH — Twenty-five sophomore pacing fillies will battle Saturday evening (Aug. 12) at Northfield Park in a trio of $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes in round three of the four-leg series for Buckeye-bred side-wheelers.

Ohio-based stallions represented include Art Official, Big Bad John and The Panderosa with four foals each competing in OSS events, while Charley Barley, Manhardt and McArdle have two 3-year-olds each in these races. Ohio sires with one filly each competing include Art’s Chip, Feelin Friskie, Foreclosure N, I’m Gorgeous, No Pan Intended, Santanna Blue Chip and Woodstock.

Trainer Tyler George will harness Pistol Packin Mama in the first OSS contest (race seven) for the Herres Stable. The daughter of The Panderosa won leg two on June 9 at Scioto Downs in 1:52.2 with a near wire-to-wire effort, drawing off by five lengths in the stretch. Her connections then gave her more than a month off and she returned with aplomb — scoring a 1:52.2 triumph in a Hoosier Park overnight on July 29. She was then second to Big Bad Jane in a $41,000 Ohio State Fair Stake on Aug. 4 at Scioto Downs, and has $87,750 in career earnings from ten starts, with six wins and four seconds.

Bred by Brian Doyle, this bay filly is the seventh foal out of the Artiscape mare Art Debut p,3,1:54.2s ($49,109) and is a half-sister to Artful Way (by Artistic Fella) p,5,1:50.1h ($299, 745); Artful Impulse (by Artistic Fella) p,3,1:52.2s ($220,983); Im A Debutant (by No Pan Intended) p,1:57.2h ($44,597); and Isitfridayyet (by No Pan Intended) p,3,1:55.1f ($25,125). Trace Tetrick drives from post five.

Conrad photo

Bye Bye Felicia, shown here winning leg two of Ohio Sires Stakes competition on June 9 at Scioto Downs, tries for a repeat victory on Saturday.

Also vying in this same division is Bye Bye Felicia, who leaves from post seven for driver Chris Page and trainer Brian Brown. This striking black daughter of Woodstock won a $41,000 Ohio State Fair Stake on Aug. 4 in 1:55 at Scioto Downs after winning in 1:58 at Marysville on July 22 by nearly 17 lengths with Brown’s son Beau at the lines. Bye Bye Felicia’s career mark came when she won her OSS leg two test on June 9 at Scioto Downs, stopping the timer impressively in 1:52.2.

A winner of $154,909 lifetime, Bye Bye Felicia has seven wins, three seconds and one third in 18 career starts for owners Jennifer Brown, Scott Davis, Steve Mullet and Joyce McClelland. Bred by Billy Walters and Joe McLead, she is the second foal out of the unraced Camluck mare Tea Time and is a full sister to the 2-year-old Ohio Sires Stakes winner Harambe Deo p,2,1:55f ($23,200).

The second division (race eight) features a wide-open field of contestants who have come close but have yet to reach the winner’s circle this season in an OSS test. Glorious Intent, a grey daughter by No Pan Intended finished second in leg two on June 9 at Scioto Downs, timed in 1:53.2; while Big Bad Jane, a bay daughter by Big Bad John, was third in leg one, timed in 1:55.1 on May 1 at Miami Valley Raceway.

Rose Run Skyler, a two-time OSS winner this year, heads up the third division (race nine) for trainer Derek Watiker. The bay daughter by The Panderosa won leg one on May 1 at Miami Valley with a 1:54.4 clocking, then captured a $50,000 Scarlet & Grey contest in 1:53 at Miami Valley on May 8. She posted a 1:54.1 clocking in a Scioto overnight on May 25, before winning OSS leg two on June 9 at Scioto Downs in 1:53. She was given nearly two months off before returning to win a $41,000 Ohio State Fair Stake in a career best 1:52.3 on Aug. 4 at Scioto.

Bred by the Rose Run Farm, Rose Run Skyler has $99,875 in career earnings for owner Lionel Ray Watiker. Aaron Merriman drives from post nine. Rose Run Skyler is the second foal out of the unraced Allamerican Native mare A And G’s Finest, and is a half-sister to Rose Run Ranger (by Major In Art) p,3,1:56f ($36,566) and Rose Run Toni (by Jereme’s Jet) p,2,2:01.4h ($11,130).

OSS leg two winner Ellasen starts from post eight in this same division for driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. The Big Bad John filly is owned by Clyde Perfect and is conditioned by Ron Potter. She captured an OSS leg two on July 9 at Scioto Downs in 1:52.3 and has a trio of wins and $41,750 in seasonal earnings, and $92,578 in her career coffers.