Ohio Sires Stakes kick off at Northfield

The $100,000 Battle of Lake Erie may have been the headliner at Northfield, but the Battle undercard featured six $15,000 Ohio Sires Stakes heats for three-year-old fillies, with an even split between trotters and pacers.

 

The Stakes action opened with Daryl Sherman’s Jesse’s Messenger ($2.10) cruising to a 1:56.3 win, the 2nd fastest trotting mile every by a three-year-old filly at Northfield. Ryan Stahl put the Kent Sherman-trainee, a daughter Jailhouse Jesse on the front and cruised to victory over longshot Donnamom and Lima Countess. Jesse’s Messenger, who had faced open stakes competition in Canada and won a Simpson split at Vernon earlier this year, is trained by Kent Sherman and has now earned $193,228 in her career. She was an undefeated Ohio Sires champ last year.

 

Victory Is Coming was nearly as impressive winning her Sires split for trainer-driver Ammon Hershberger and Mt. Vernon owners Betty and and John Red Shaw. After a leisurely 1:0.1 first lap, she flew home in 57.1 for a 1:57.2 win, her 4th in five starts this year. Flori’s Future was second and Yesternite finished third behind the winner, a Victory Sam filly.

 

Herbedaone won the final trotting split in 2:00.1, despite a month-long layoff. Trainer-driver Jimmy Smith put his Ilooklikemymom filly in gear late with a first-over move as she bested Definitely Mamie and Rose Run Leah. Definitel Mamie broke at the start, but Greg Grismore got her back trotting at the back of the back and she was impressive in defeat.

 

The first pacing event of the evening saw She’s A Ball ($12.60) and Jody Jamieson survive an inquiry to win in 1:57. Jamieson’s Presidential Ball filly was sitting in the pocket behind Carrie’s Standby and got steppy as she entered the inside passing lane. Owned by Jerry Zosel, Kathy Ratliff and Kimberly Dailey and trained by Jim Dailey, She’s A Ball won for the 2nd time in eight seasonal starts. Carrie’s Standby held second and Longlegacy was third as favored Hawk’s Cry Electra was unable to overcome an outside post and difficult trip.

 

Rub Thing and Dave Palone won the second pacing split in a blistering 1:53.3, easily outdistancing Golden Fizz and Shez Good Osborne. Owned and trained by Virgil Morgan, Jr., the On The Attack cruised through fractions of 37.2, 56.3 and 1:25.1 before rolling home in 28.2 to cement the win, her 5th in 12 career starts.

 

The final $15,000 Ohio Sire Stake of the evening went to Lovely Dawn ($3.80), who held off Up Front Cruiser in 1:53.4, just 1/5 of a second off her lifetime best. Northfield Wall-of-Famer Tom Brinkerhoff trains Lovely Dawn, a Dawn Ofa New Day filly, for Leonard Buckner of Mount Eaton, Ohio. The win was the Our Ms Annabel was third. (Northfield)