Tom Largo Scores Third Ohio Sires Stakes Victory

By Wes Mayberry

Tom Largo scored another Ohio Sires Stakes victory on Sunday (July 12) as Northfield Park Racino hosted two $75,000 divisions of the fourth leg for sophomore colt trotters. Driven by Chris Lems, the Long Tom gelding out of Smith Hall led gate to wire and won the first division by a length in 1:54.1. Rose Run Banker (Chris Page) and Grape Crush (Brett Miller) rounded out the top three. Tom Largo is now 3-for-4 in the OSS this season, recording a victory in each of the first two legs before finishing as the runner-up to a track-record performance by Big Ranger in the third leg at Eldorado Scioto Downs on June 13. He is trained by Scott Cox for owners Jughead Stables, G Peters, and Robert Kubiak and has hit the board in all seven seasonal starts with three wins and four seconds. He has eight victories and earnings of $265,900 in 16 career starts.

After recording third-place finishes in each of the first three legs of the OSS this year, Rose Run Boom (Luke Hanners) broke through to win the second division by three-quarters of a length in 1:56.1. Knob Creek Moni (Dan Noble) was second followed by Special Moni (Lems) in third. An In Range gelding out of Loconotion, Rose Run Boom has a 2-1-3 record in eight seasonal starts and $131,511 in lifetime earnings. The Steve Carter trainee is owned by Jeff Fought Racing, Brian Carsey, Adam Friedland, and Jacob Beard.

Freshman Colt Pacers

Northfield Park also hosted two $75,000 divisions of the first leg of the OSS for 2-year-old colt pacers on Sunday.

Don’ttruckwithme (Lems), a winner in the $150,000 Next Generation at Scioto Downs on July 4 in 1:52.2, is now 2-for-2 this season after taking a gate-to-wire victory in the second division. The Catch The Fire gelding out of Age Of Consent won by three lengths, tripping the wire in 1:53.3. First Grade (Page) and Jett James (Miller) rounded out the top three. Trained by Daren Harvey, Don’ttruckwithme increased his earnings to $112,500 with Sunday’s victory. He is owned by Wayne Mast Jr., Eden Acres Farmstead, and Kirk Nichols.

North Rim (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) won the first division, also in gate-to-wire fashion, in 1:55 for his first career victory after finishing third in the Next Generation. The Downbytheseaside gelding out of Treacherous Beauty won by a length, increasing his seasonal earnings to $55,500. He is trained by Ron Burke for owners Hatfield Stables, Marvin Katz, Bradley Grant, and Soderberg Bloodstock. Ocean Party (Page) and Stateroom (Mike Micallef) rounded out the top three.

Celebrating its 50th season, the Ohio Sires Stakes continues Monday (July 13) with three $50,000 divisions of the first leg for freshman filly pacers as part of a 16-race card at Northfield Park starting at 6 p.m.