Ten three-year-old pacing colts are set to wage war in a lone $60,000 Ohio Sires Stakes race on Saturday night (August 22) at Northfield Park.
First-race post time will be at 6 p.m. (Eastern) and the featured race -- which comprises Leg 4 of the series — has been carded as Race 13.
Combatants in the race, which is the final sires stakes leg of the season, include divisional co-leader Stanford Court, who captured two sires stakes legs. Stanford Court recorded marks of 1:50.3 in Leg Two and 1:50.1 in Leg Three for trainer Brian Brown and owners R. Mondillo, Richard Lombardo, Hen-Shaut Stable and Lightning 5 Racing Stable.
The homebred bay son of Nob Hill High has amassed $214,210 in career earnings from five wins, five seconds and a trio of third-place finishes after 14 career starts. Stanford Court will start from Post 6 with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. in the sulky.
Elver Hanover, who captured sires stakes Leg Two in 1:51 for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing, B. Jablonsky, J. Milillo and J&T Silva-Purnel&Libby, will start from the rail with Chris Page at the lines. The Hanover Shoe Farms-bred youngster, a gelded son of Yankee Cruiser, has a hefty bankroll of $425,200 from ten wins, a second and a third after 14 starts. He sports a mark of 1:48.3 taken last year over Lexington’s Red Mile.
Elver Hanover currently sits third in the standings behind divisional co-leaders Stanford Court and Ocean Rock (winner of sires stakes Legs One and Three, in 1:50.2 and 1:48.4, who opted to sit out the final leg). Haggard, who captured sires stakes Leg One in 1:53, also opted to sit out sires stakes Leg Four, as he is fifth in the standings.
The top nine point earners from each of the two- and three-year-old divisions will be eligible to compete in the $300,000 Championships on Super Night (Saturday, September 5) at Scioto Downs.
(With files from the Ohio Standardbred Development Fund)