The final day of racing at Miami Valley Raceway will mark the opening of the 2023 Ohio Sires Stakes action. Two divisions each of the three-year-old filly trot, filly pace, colt trot, and colt pace will highlight the action as the curtain falls on the Miami Valley meet Saturday, May 6. Each division will carry a purse of $55,000.
Forty-one trainers have horses entered with Ron Burke sending out eight starters, two in each of the filly divisions, one in the colt trot, and three in the colt pace. Three other trainers, Chris Beaver, Brian Brown, and Todd Luther each have three entries.
All four Ohio two-year-old divisional winners, filly trotting champ Rose Run Yolanda, filly pacing champ McSeaside, colt trotting champ Rumble Strips, and colt pacing champ Racing Rampage, will begin defense of their titles in the first leg.
In the first division of the filly trot, Rose Run Yanae is coming off her win in the James K. Hackett Memorial at Miami Valley. Chris Page will get the drive for trainer Ron Burke. Rose Run Yanae is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, Knox Services, and Weaver Bruscemi. The daughter of Triumphant Caviar is the slight 9-5 favourite.
Rose Run Yolanda will be making her third start of the year in the second division for filly trotters. She is owned by Greg Luther Racing and trained by Todd Luther. The Triumphant Caviar filly opened the season winning the Hackett Memorial elimination at Miami Valley but finished second in the finals. Trevor Smith will drive the 8-5 favourite.
In the first division of filly pacers, Kassagi is the morning line favourite at 2-1. She has a win and a third-place finish in two starts for trainer Dan O’Mara. Sam Widger will drive the daughter of Domethatagain for owner Marjorie Polhamus.
In the other division, Hackett champion McSeaside will be making her third start of the year. Page will drive the Downbytheseaside filly for Burke. McSeaside, the 2-1 favourite, is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Beasty LLC, J&T Silva Stables, and Knox Services.
In the first division of colt trotters, last year’s champion Rumble Strips will be making his first start of the year for trainer Mike Polhamus. Kayne Kauffman will drive the son of Long Tom. Rumble Strips suffered breaks in two of his three qualifiers and is the third choice on the morning line. He is owned by Constance Polhamus and Mary Beth Walters. Sandy Beatty trainee Bidenurtime is the 5-2 favourite.
In the second division, Jet Hill will be making his second start of the year after winning the Hackett Memorial for sophomore trotting colts. The What The Hill gelding is trained by Edward Miller and owned by Serenity Racing Stables. Kurt Sugg will have the lines for the 2-1 favourite.
In the first division of colt pacers, Act Fast is the morning line favourite at 2-1, with Hackett Champion Low Rider the second choice at 7-2.
Act Fast is trained by Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Rich Lombardo Racing and Beasty LLC. Page will drive the son of Downbytheseaside.
Low Rider is also sired by Downbytheseaside. He has hit the board in all five starts this year, winning three for trainer Tim Lane. Trace Tetrick will drive for the ownership group of James Stambaugh, Alan Keith, and Milton Leeman.
In the final Ohio Sires Stakes race on the card, last year’s champion Racing Rampage (pictured above) will be making his first start of the year for trainer Darren Dowler. Dowler co-owns the son of Racing Hill with Lawrence Bettler. Aaron Merriman will drive the North America Cup-eligible, who is listed at 35-1 in TROT's 2023 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book. Racing Rampage is the second choice behind race favourite Dynamite Dylan. Dynamite Dylan is trained by Brian Brown and owned by David and John Prushnok. The Downbytheseaside colt will be driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr. Dynamite Dylan is the 5-2 favourite.
The second leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes will begin Monday, May 29 at Scioto Downs when the three-year-old filly trotters and pacers take the track.
(OHHA)