Snobbytown, in just her second seasonal start, outlasted Marloe Hanover by a neck to capture the $26,000 Mares Open Pace at Miami Valley on Tuesday (April 19).
Page and Snobbytown pushed the starting gate away and secured the lead long before the :27 opening panel was completed. Marloe Hanover settled in second with even-money favourite Rockin Nola dropping in third in the early going. The three classy mares, all winners of over $500,000, occupied the top-three spots until halfway around the final turn when Rockin Nola started to weaken after a first-over attack before the :56 half and through the 1:23.2 three-quarters clocking.
Marloe Hanover left the pylons in early stretch and closed the gap on Snobbytown, but fell a neck short in the end. Sherris Babe was seventh and last much of the mile but rallied tenaciously the final panel to finish third.
Ron Burke trains the winning Ohio-sired six-year-old daughter of Nob Hill High and shares ownership with Weaver Bruscemi and Jason Melillo. Snobbytown has now visited 23 winner's circles and earned $558,776 in 73 starts. Chris Page drove the winner.
A pair of $20,000 James K. Hackett Memorial eliminations featuring Ohio sired sophomore pacing fillies were also contested on Tuesday, with the top four finishers and the fastest fifth place finisher advancing to next week’s $50,000 final.
Cape Cod Hanover, also driven by Chris Page, opened her 2022 campaign by copping the first split in 1:54.1, topping Allnight Micki and Dragons Revenge. Start Takin It Off also advanced to the championship with a fourth-place finish. It was the seventh win for Cape Cod Hanover, who had an impressive freshman stat line of 10-6-3-0 while earning $270,467. The Downbytheseaside lass is also from the Burke barn, who co-owns with Weaver Bruscemi, Rich Lombardo and Ras Racing.
Cold Hearted Gypsy and driver Trace Tetrick went wire-to-wire in 1:52.2 in the second elimination, topping When You Kiss Me, Twenty, Coastal and fastest fifth place finisher Spitting Image. Herman Hagerman owns and trains the daughter of Racing Hill, who pushed her career earnings to $67,451 with her third win in just ten attempts.
Drivers Chris Page and Brett Miller each scored Grand Slams in the first 12 races on the 14-race program.
Miami Valley will be back in action on Wednesday (April 20) when the features will be two $20,000 Hackett Memorial eliminations for three-year-old trotting colts.
(Miami Valley)