by Kimberly A. Rinker, Administrator, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund

Columbus, OH — Four divisions of Ohio Sires Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings will be contested on Friday (July 17) evening at Northfield Park. Post time is 6 p.m. (EDT).

Thirteen trotters and 14 pacers passed the entry box for the third leg of OSS 3-year-old contests, necessitating a pair of $40,000 splits for each gait of sophomores. The trotting divisions have been carded as races one and two, while the pacing pairs are set as the third and eighth event on the 16-race program.

Six sophomores will vie in the first $40,000 division of trotters (race one), with Chips Starr looking for his second OSS victory this season for trainer Jim Arledge Jr. The son of Chip Chip Hooray scored his lone victory in OSS action at Scioto Downs on June 6, timed in 1:57 with Hugh Beatty at the lines.

Owned by Greg Buckley and Thomas York Jr., Chips Starr was a $9,000 yearling purchase at the 2013 Blooded Horse Sale. The fourth foal out of the Nearly Perfect mare Miss Starr Tripp 2,2:01f ($28,368), Chips Starr has earned $56,841 lifetime.

The Ron Burke trainee I Know My Chip will by trying to nab his first OSS victory this season. A winner of $147,528 lifetime, the son of Deep Chip was a multiple OSS winner as a freshman for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Buscemi LLC and Phillip Collura. I Know My Chip has been second in a pair of OSS to date this year — on May 2 at Miami Valley Raceway and again on June 6 at Scioto Downs. Both times he was bested by a scant whisker by rival Neely’s Messenger, who wages war in the second division on this same card.

Bred by Kimberly Dailey, this bay gelding earned $105,403 as a 2-year-old and is the first foal out of the Pegasus Spur mare Madeline’s Crown 3, 2:00.4s ($13,221).

My Friend Jim, Cooter Dunn, BK’s Magic Man and Full Of Dawn round out this field of six trotters.

Seven diagonally-gaited specialists will line up behind the gate in the second $40,000 OSS division (race two) for trotters.

Conrad photo

2014 Ohio Horse of the Year Neely’s Messenger scored a 1:57.1 victory in an Ohio Sires Stakes test on May 2 at Miami Valley Raceway.

Neely’s Messenger, leaving from post four, continues to dominate this division. Last season’s Ohio Horse of the Year and 2-Year-Old Trotting Colt of 2014 scored a decisive 1:57.1 victory for driver Dan Noble in his seasonal debut on May 2 at Miami Valley Raceway. He followed that up with a 1:55.3 best effort at Scioto Downs on June 6, nosing out I Know My Chip at the wire. He also has a 1:56.3 Ohio Breeders Stake triumph to his credit, scored on June 20 at Scioto Downs.

Owned by Dale Sweet and Julie Ann Sweet, the son of Neely Dunn scored victories in OSS, OBS, Ohio Fair Stakes, and in the $200,000 OSS championship as a freshman, for earnings of $215,945. Bred by Albert Yoder, Neely’s Messenger was a $10,000 yearling purchase at the 2013 Blooded Horse Sale. The fifth foal out of the Carry The Message broodmare Fun Message 5,1:57.3f ($98,349), Neely’s Messenger is a half-sister to Muggles (by Muscle Yankee) 1:59.4f ($34,516).

Upfront Chip Daddy, unraced at two, has turned in a trio of winning performances this season, with one of them coming in a May 2 OSS at Miami Valley Raceway, when the son of Chip Chip Hooray scored a career best clocking of 1:57.3. Trained by Kelly O’Donnell for Up Front Racing LLC and Mark Ford, Upfront Chip Daddy has $33,480 in earnings thus far to his credit.

The fifth foal out of the Muscles Yankee mare Celebrity Cream 3, 2:02.4f ($5,987), Upfront Chip Daddy was bred by Spring Haven Farm and has half-siblings in Creampuff Macdaddy (by Ken Warkentin) 4,1:53.3f ($455,898); Chocolate Cream (by Broadway Hall) 5, 1:57.2s ($31,207); and Coconut Cream (by Windsong Espoir) 3,1:59.2f ($14,092).

Kick A Lot, No Whip Chip, Really Deep Chip, Super Sheff Frosty and Jo Jo’s Journey round out the field of contestants.

Trainer Brian Brown will harness Rock N Randall from the rail in the first $40,000 OSS division (race three) of laterally gaited sophomores. This son of Dave Panlone-Appealing Sammi earned $95,193 as a 2-year-old, recording a mark of 1:58.1 at Delaware on Sept. 17. To date he’s still looking for his first OSS triumph, but has proven his capability with a host of second and third-place finishes in both OSS and Ohio Fair Stake competition.

Lifetime Rock N Randall has amassed $122,650 from 19 starts, with seven wins, seven seconds and three thirds for owner-breeder Stephen Sexton. He recorded a career best 1:56 on June 30 in a $10,000 conditioned pace at Scioto Downs. This bay gelding is a half-brother to Angels N Demons (by Artiscape) p,4,1:53.4s ($51,492) and a half-brother to Back Mount (by Feelin Friskie) p,3,Q1:56.4h ($11,394).

Nobles Finesse hails from post four for trainer Kurt Sugg and owners Dean Davis, Joyce McClelland and the Mullet Stables. This Feelin Friskie gelding is looking for his first trip to the winner’s circle in 2015, after earning $100,759 from four wins in nine starts as a 2-year-old, taking victories in OSS, OFS and OBS competition.

Bred by Chip Noble, Nobles Finesse is the sixth foal out of the Nobleland Sam mare Lady Lonesome and is a half-brother to Lonesome Attack (by On The Attack) p,5,1:50f ($386,929); Lonesome Cruiser (by Yankee Cruiser) p,5,1:54h ($85,715); Nancy’s Stitches (by Dave Panlone) p,3,1:57f ($33,159); Dixie Lane (by Cam’s Magic Trick) p,3,1:57.2 ($21,663) and Lonesome Trick (by Cam’s Magic Trick) p,2,2:02.3h ($16,352).

Completing the field are Roaddog Jess James, Imtoofastforyou, Dyno Mite Man, Latenite Trick and Over Friskie.

Indian Spirit headlines the second $40,000 OSS pacing division for sophomore pacing colts and geldings. Hailing from the Dan Ater barn for owner Gregory Forcum, the son of Tyler’s Big Mark scored a victory in these same ranks on June 6 at Scioto Downs, stopping the timer in a swift 1:54.3 for driver Kyle Ater. He followed that up with a career best clocking of 1:53 at Scioto two weeks later, on June 20, in a $12,500 OBS.

A winner of $34,409 as a freshman, Indian Spirit amassed three wins, four seconds and a third in 12 trips postward last season. This year, he has a quartet of wins under his belt in seven tries with earnings of $46,810 for these connections. Bred by Bruce Lane, Indian Spirit is the second foal out of the unraced Mantacular broodmare Bettacular.

Gray Camo, with $119,229 in his coffers, is another solid contender who hails from the Ron Burke stable. The roan son of Pine Valley-CG’s Gem has five wins to his credit in 15 career starts and a mark of 1:53.3 taken in his OSS victory on May 2 of this year at Miami Valley Raceway. He is co-owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Richard Suda and Jason Melilo. A $10,000 yearling at the Blooded Horse Sale, Gray Camo has full siblings in Dibs p,3,1:53.2f ($218,698) and Pink Camo p,2,1:52.3f ($210,766).

Ohio’s 2-year-old Pacing Colt of 2014, Western Coby, also vies in this same event. A winner of $156,677 in his career, the son of Western Spirit-Cole By A Knows will be looking for his first victory of 2015. Owned by Larry Acker, Dean Davis and trainer Ron Wagner, Western Coby was a multiple OSS and OFS winner as a freshman. A $6,500 yearling purchase at the 2013 Blooded Horse Sale, Western Coby was the first foal out of his dam and was bred by Andrew Coblenz.

Cornerback, Rocky Express, Frisky Bob and Nashville Bound will also compete in this field of laterally-gaited 3-year-olds.