By Wes Mayberry
Tom Largo and Rose Run Boom won the two $75,000 divisions of the fifth leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomore colt trotters on Monday (Aug. 24) at Northfield Park Racino.
Tom Largo won the first division by five lengths in 1:54.4. The victory marked the fourth OSS win of the season for the Long Tom gelding, whose only defeat in the series was as a runner-up to Big Ranger’s track-record 1:50.3 performance in the third leg at Eldorado Scioto Downs. Tom Largo won in gate-to-wire fashion Monday, recording fractions of :28.2, :58.2, and 1:26.3 with Chris Lems driving for trainer Scott Cox. Bitcoin King (Aaron Merriman) finished second followed by Special Moni (Dan Noble) in third. Tom Largo is owned by Jughead Stables, G Peters, and Robert Kubiak. He has hit the board in all 11 seasonal starts with six wins and five seconds and has 11 victories and $350,250 in earnings in 20 lifetime starts.
Rose Run Boom (Luke Hanners) won the second division by half a length over Grape Crush (Noble) in 1:56 with Water Slide (Merriman) rounding out the top three. The In Range gelding led gate to wire, posting fractions of :27.3, :56.1, and 1:25.3 en route to his second straight OSS win after finishing third in each of the first three legs. The Steve Carter trainee has five wins and $185,581 in earnings in 20 career starts. He is owned by Jeff Fought Racing, Brian Carsey, Adam Friedland, and Jacob Beard.
Celebrating its 50th season, the Ohio Sires Stakes continues Tuesday (Aug. 25) with the fifth leg for freshman filly trotters at Eldorado Scioto Downs. The OSS Scarlet Championships for all eight divisions are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, at Scioto Downs.