Columbus, OH — This weekend’s Ohio Sires Stakes at Scioto Downs feature round three action of the four-leg series, with a first race post time both nights of 6:30 p.m. (EDT).

On Friday (July 26), two $50,000 divisions of 3-year-old filly pacers and a pair of $50,000 contests for 3-year-old trotting fillies will line up behind the Scioto starting gate. Saturday night (July 27) will feature two $50,000 OSS contests for 3-year-old pacing colts.

Returning winners in the 3-year-old pacing filly division include leg one winner Queen Of The Pride. Conrad photo.

Returning winners in the 3-year-old pacing filly division include leg one winner Queen Of The Pride, a 3-year-old McArdle lass owned by Frank Chick. Trained by Kevin Lare, she was clocked in 1:51.4 for driver Tony Hall, who gets the nod again on Friday from post two in the first division (race two). A winner of $460,479 in her career, Queen Of The Pride was a $62,000 yearling purchase at the 2017 Ohio Selected Jug Sale. She was bred by Hickory Lane Farm’s Brad Wallace.

Rose Run Uptowngal (post three, Chris Page) and Rylee Roo (post five, Aaron Merriman) also vie in this same division. These two fillies are tied for first place in the standings with 77 points and $37,500 in OSS monies earned, with Rose Run Uptowngal trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing, Phil Collura, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi, while Steve Carter conditions Rylee Roo for owner/breeder Steven Price.

Rose Run Uptowngal was a $50,000 purchase at the 2017 Ohio Selected Jug Sale and has career earnings of $135,074, while Rylee Roo has $154,125 in her coffers. Both fillies captured OSS leg two after finishing second in OSS leg one, with Rose Run Uptowngal pacing to victory in 1:52.2 and Rylee Roo getting the job done with a 1:52 score.

Avaline Hanover heads up the second OSS division (race four) for sophomore fillies, starting from post four with Brett Miller at the lines. This daughter of the ill-fated Dragon Again is conditioned by Burke for Burke Racing, Larry Karr, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi and has career earnings of $88,300 with $27,500 of that earned via these Ohio Sires Stakes. She currently is third in the OSS standings as she captured leg one at Miami Valley in 1:52.1.

Burke also sends out Snobbytown, a daughter of Nob Hill High, for her first venture into OSS competition as a sophomore in this same division. Owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Jason Melilo and bred by Scott Hagemeyer, Snobbytown earned $41,840 as a freshman and makes her first start as a 3-year-old in here from post six with Chris Page at the lines. She qualified twice over Springfield’s one miler, pacing to a 1:54.4 second-place finish on July 9 and returning seven days later to score a 1:53.3 clocking in a wire-to-wire performance that saw her best her rivals by 19 lengths. Snobbytown is the fourth foal out of the Towner’s Big Guy mare Shantytown Girl and is a half-sister to Paydaze On The Way (by Look Sharp) p,4,1:52.2f ($255,723).

Stallions represented by progeny in the 3-year-old pacing filly ranks include three foals each by Pet Rock and Dragon Again, with two each by McArdle and Nob Hill High and one each by Rockin Amadeus, The Panderosa and Yankee Cruiser.

Pure Chance heads up the first of the two $50,000 trotting divisions for 3-year-old fillies. JJ Zamaiko photo.

Pure Chance heads up the first (race six) of the two $50,000 trotting divisions for 3-year-old fillies, starting from post three with Jason Thompson driving. This daughter of Triumphant Caviar stands at the top of this division (along with another Chris Beaver trainee, Aunt Rose) with a mark of 1:54 taken in leg two at Northfield after finishing a strong second to her aforementioned stablemate in leg one at Miami Valley, timed in 1:54.1. Pure Chance is owned by Beaver and Steven Zeehandelar and has amassed $148,896 in career earnings.

Only Take Cash looks much the best in the second division (race eight). This Cash Hall lass was third in leg one and won leg two in a time of 1:54.1 at Northfield on June 8 for Aaron Merriman, who is back in the sulky from post seven. Only Take Cash was the 2-year-old trotting filly champion and is trained by Robert McIntosh for the Robert McIntosh stables, Dave Boyle and Mardon Stables. This spry filly has amassed $328,140, with $31,000 of that earned this year in OSS competition.

Aunt Rose will also ply her wares in this same division, leaving from post three with Ronnie Wrenn Jr., aboard for trainer Chris Beaver. This winner of $112,788 captured her first OSS test in 1:54 and was second in leg two for owners Chris Beaver, Mike Carter, Joe Sbrocco and Steve Zeehandelar. Bred by Spring Haven Farm and Doug Millard Holdings, this Uncle Peter daughter was a $55,000 purchase at the 2017 Ohio Selected Jug Sale.

Stablemate Bella’s Rose Power starts right beside Aunt Rose in post four with Kayne Kauffman in the sulky. This Triumphant Caviar lass won leg one in 1:54.4 and finished out of the money in leg two for owners Chris Beaver, James Gallager, Marion Beachy and Steve Zeehandelar. This homebred has $135,635 in career earnings with $25,000 in her coffers from her OSS efforts.

Ohio-based sires represented by foals in these two OSS divisions for 3-year-old trotting distaffs include six conceived by Uncle Peter, four by Triumphant Caviar and one each by Cash Hall, Full Count, Manofmanymission, Southwind Spirit and Wishing Stone.

The two OSS events for 3-year-old pacing colts have been carded as races one and three on Scioto’s Saturday evening (July 27) program, with a total of 15 participants.

The Brian Brown-trained Rock Candy — the leader in this division with 102 points and $50,000 in OSS funds amassed — will be trying for his third consecutive victory in this series. Owned by Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco and Richard Lombardo, the Pet Rock gelding has a $305,626 bankroll from nine wins and six seconds in 15 lifetime starts. Rock Candy won both OSS leg one and two in identical times of 1:50.3. He was bred by Mark Moger and Albert Delia Jr. and starts from post two with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. at the lines in the second division (race three).

Last year’s winner of the $275,000 OSS 2-year-old final, High On Paydaze, leaves from the rail, right next to Rock Candy, for driver Josh Sutton. Bred and co-owned by Scott Hagemeyer, Robert Mondillo and Donald Robinson, the son of Nob Hill High also hails from the powerful Brian Brown barn. A throat issue has seen the speedy youngster — who earned $220,700 as a freshman — struggle this season, but a recent surgery to correct that problem has seen him start to recoup his previous form and he’ll be trying to grace the winner’s circle for this first time this season in his sixth start of 2019.

Cross Country heads up the first OSS division (race one) for trainer Luke Ebersole, who conditions and co-owns the son of Palone Ranger for partners Logan Ebersole and Cody Sipe. A second-place finish in leg one and a 1:50.4 triumph in leg two have vaulted Cross Country into the bridesmaid role in the OSS standings with 77 points and $37,500 in OSS earnings. He’ll leave from post two with his trainer at the lines.

Seattle Hanover, who captured his OSS leg one in 1:50.3 and was fifth in leg two, starts from post five in this same division for driver Chris Page and trainer Burke. The Dragon Again gelding is third in the OSS standings with 57 points and $27,500 in OSS earnings for Burke Racing, Larry Karr, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Weaver Bruscemi. Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Seattle Hanover has $125,822 in his career coffers from five wins, three seconds and five thirds in 22 starts.

Ohio stallions represented in these two contests include three foals by Western Vintage and two each by Dragon Again, McArdle and Pet Rock, with one each by Allamerican Native, Mr Apples, Nob Hill High, Palone Ranger and Yankee Cruiser.

Ohio Sires Stakes resume at Northfield Park on Aug. 9 with third round contests for 2-year-old filly pacers and 2-year-old colt trotters and on Aug. 10 as 3-year-old colt trotters and 3-year-old filly pacers battle in leg four divisions.