A trio of $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies will complement the $200,000 Battle Of Lake Erie program on Saturday night, June 2 at Northfield Park.
The three OHSS events -- carded as races 7, 10 and 12 of the 16 races offered at the “Home of the Flying Turns” -- sees 2017 Dan Patch Trainer of the Year Brian Brown sending out a six-pack of sophomore distaffs, including OHSS Leg 1 winners Queen Me Again and McPansy, who are both owned by Emerald Highlands Farm.
The undefeated Queen Me Again, who is three-for-three lifetime, captured her first OHSS test on May 4 at Miami Valley in come-from-behind fashion with Trace Tetrick at the lines in a career best 1:53. Unraced at two, Queen Me Again is a Dragon Again filly, out of the Western Hanover mare Queen Me p, 3, 1:54.2F ($110,663) and is a half-sister to the Sportswriter gelding King Of Sports p, 2, 1:55.2F ($39,849). From her three career triumphs, this homebred has earnings of $28,000. She’ll leave from the rail with Matt Kakaley at the lines in the first OHSS division (Race 7).
Brown will also harness Prsntpretynperfect in this same division. The Big Bad John lass swept all four OHSS legs at two, earning $125,166 for the partnership of Jenny Brown, Richard Lombardo and Marlene Taylor, en route to winning six of seven starts in 2017. Jordan Stratton drives from post three.
McPansy got a perfect steer from Trace Tetrick in her first OHSS test to score in 1:51.3, and has two wins and a second in three career starts, with $24,500 in earnings. Also unraced at two, this homebred daughter by McArdle, out of The Panderosa mare Pantidepressant has the fastest clocking of any filly in these three divisions. She’s been assigned post seven in the third OHSS division (Race 12).
McPansy strides to victory in a $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes division on May 4 at Miami Valley Raceway in 1:51.3. She’ll be trying for her second straight win in this series on June 2 at Northfield Park.
Brown also bridles up Grant Me This from post one with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., driving in this same division. The Pet Rock filly is owned by Jenny Brown, J.E. Ridder and Hutchison Hms LLC, and is looking for her first win of 2018 in four starts.
Finally, in the second division (Race 10), two homebred fillies owned by Emerald Highlands Farms, Smiley Dragon and McVenus, will carry the Brown Stable colors postward from post four with Ronnie Wrenn, Jr., at the lines. Smiley Dragon, who was third in her first OHSS test at Miami Valley, is a daughter of Dragon Again, out of the unraced Rocknroll Hanover mare Smiley Rocks. She will be trying for her first career victory in Leg 2.
McVenus, a McArdle lass out of the Run The Table mare Venus Killean P, 3, Q1:56.0S ($103,718) leaves from post six with Chris Page at the helm. A winner of two conditioned races at Hoosier Park earlier in the season, McVenus is a half-sister to a pair of millionaires in Keystone Velocity (Western Hanover) p, 9, 1:47.3F ($1,649,612); Venus Delight (Bettors Delight) p, 5, 1:49.4s ($1,203,590)
These two will have to contend with Leg 1 winners Bad Girls Rule (Dan Noble-Post 1) and Pet Walker (Aaron Merriman-Post 2). Bad Girls Rule is a World Of Rocknroll $210,406-earning filly owned by the 3rd Floor Stables and was last year’s winner of the $250,000 OHSS Two-Year-Old Filly Championship. She’s amassed $210,406 lifetime with five triumphs in 14 starts for trainer Kimberly Dailey.
Pet Walker scored a wire-to-wire 1:52 victory in Leg 1 of this series. The Pet Rock distaff was unraced at two and has two wins and a third in five starts, with $25,500 in career earnings. She’s conditioned by Gregory Luther for Black Magic Racing.
Other top contenders include the Ron Burke-trained Baron Remy (Chris Page-Post 7, Division 1), a Yankee Cruiser daughter who finished second to McPansy in Leg 1. Owned by Burke Racing, Silva, Purnel & Libby, L. Karr and Weaver Bruscemi, Baron Remy has $134,189 in her bank account from four wins, two seconds and two thirds in ten lifetime starts.
As well, Big Bad Goldie -- who was second in Leg 1 to Bad Girls Rule -- looks poised for another solid effort in the second division (Matt Kakaley-Post 2). This Big Bad John daughter has earned $71,541 for David Wills, Richard Coad and Douglas Gregory with two wins, one second and four thirds in 15 tries.
Post time at Northfield is 6:00 p.m. Saturday night, with the $200,000 Battle Of Lake Erie set as Race 11, headed by the Ron Burke-conditioned Rockin Ron (PP2, Matt Kakaley) in the field of seven.
(OSDF)