by Kimberly Rinker, Administrator, Ohio Standardbred Development Fund

Lebanon, OH — Career milestones and outrageous upsets were all the fashion in Ohio Sires Stakes action on Saturday night (May 7) at Miami Valley Raceway. Eight $40,000 OSS divisions for 3-year-old colts and geldings of both gaits were contested over the southern Ohio, five-eighths-mile oval.

Conrad photo

Driver Kurt Sugg celebrated in the Miami Valley winner’s circle after scoring career victory 3,000 in an Ohio Sires Stakes with the Marty Wollam-trained Overdressed.

Driver Kurt Sugg nailed down career victory 3,000 en route to winning an OSS test for sophomore trotters. The 46-year-old Bowling Green, Ohio native steered the Marty Wollam-trained Overdressed to a 2:00 clocking — the son of Full Count’s first win of 2016 and his second career win in nine lifetime starts. The triumph pushed the brown colt’s career earnings to $71,817.

“He’s a big strong horse and gets around this track as well as a half-mile,” Sugg acknowledged. “Marty (trainer Wollam) always has his horses ready for these races and it’s extra special to get my 3,000th win with one of his horses.”

Overdressed was bred by Marvin Raber and is owned in partnership by his trainer, Dale Sweet and G And B Racing.

The 3,000th win came in Sugg’s 850th purse start this season, which has seen him steer the winners of $658,290 to date in 2016. From 22,798 lifetime drives, he also has 3,112 second-place finishes and 3,026 third-place finishes, with earnings of $13,601,938.

In another OSS trotting division, 88-1 longshot Lionbacker Kidd prevailed over rival Kanthaka (Dave Palone) by a neck in 2:00.2 to garner his fourth career win in 12 starts. Driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. used come-from-behind tactics to get the job done for trainer Joseph Kramp and owner Jeffrey Kidd. The son of Lionhunter upped his career earnings to $96,073 and returned $178.40 to win. John E. Miller is the breeder of Lionbacker Kidd.

Chips So Fast got a perfect trip to capture the first OSS trotting test of the night in 1:57.1 for driver Chris Page and trainer Chris Beaver. Bred by S & R Angelbeck and Midland Acres, the son of Chip Chip Hooray notched his fourth career victory while equaling his career mark. His earnings now stand at $73,246 for owners Mark Moger and Albert Delia Jr.

Last season’s 2-year-old Colt Trotter of the Year, MJB Got Faith, failed to bring his previous spark to the table, finishing a disappointing fourth, 6-1/4 lengths behind the winner.

Driver Jeremy Smith put The Next Triumph on the front end and never looked back in the final OSS division for sophomore trotters. The pair crossed the finish line in 1:57.2 as the son of Triumphant Caviar pushed his lifetime earnings to $81,006 for trainer and co-owner Ron Steck and owners Robert Smolko and Rene Allard.

“Ron (trainer Steck) told me that he thought he had finally figured this colt out and told me to race him tough tonight, so that’s what I did and it paid off,” Smith said. “Ronnie is great with colts and he proved it here tonight.”

The Next Triumph, who now has a 6-4-2 record in 18 starts, was bred by the Second Chance Stable.

The first of four OSS pacing divisions went to Gotmoneyinmypocket and driver Kayne Kauffman. Trained by Jim Dailey for breeders/owners Jerry Zosel and Kathy Ratcliff, the son of Feelin Friskie prevailed for his sixth lifetime win, leading from start to finish in 1:53.3.

Even-money favorite Hustling Charley and driver Kyle Ater won the second OSS division by six lengths in 1:53.4 for trainer Danny Collins. Bred by Lisa Ezzo, the son of Charley Barley notched his third career win in 10 tries and pushed his earnings to $43,613.

Canadia’s Bakin was given a masterful steer by Aaron Merriman, winning the third OSS pacing division handily in 1:54.2. Trained by Steve Carter for a quartet of Kentucky and Ohio owners, the son of Big Bad John picked up his 15th career victory and upped his career earnings to $62,629. Canadia’s Bakin was bred by the Lmn Bred Stables.

Last season’s 2-year-old colt pacing champion Primo Giovanni finished fourth in this same event, while 2015 freshman championship winner Love Tap Hanover made a nasty break in the final turn and finished seventh.

The final OSS pacing division went to Mr Wiggle Pants, who led at every pole for driver Kayne Kauffman and trainer Jim Mulinix. The bay son of Mr Wiggles stopped the timer in 1:53.4 with rival Friskie Cruiser some two lengths back. Bred by Spring Haven Farm and owned by Denny Miller, Jim Mulinix and William Rufenacht, Mr Wiggle Pants now has $113,493 in his career coffers.