Latest Desire made it three-in-a-row in O-hi-o on Saturday night (February 18) at Miami Valley Raceway, capturing the $22,000 Open I Pace again despite being assigned the outermost post position in the field of nine.

Knowing that his horse is in exceptionally good form, driver Simon Allard set sail from the get-go, managing to clear to the front as the first quarter beam was reached in :27. The winner was afforded a 29-second breather in the second quarter, reaching the midway point of the race in :56. With Lucky Lime (Kyle Ater) moving up to second on the outside and My Buddy Ninkster (Tyler Smith) enjoying a tight pocket ride, Latest Desire had to step it up in the third panel, stopping that teletimer in 1:23.4. With Lucky Lime still pressing on the outside and runner-up My Buddy Ninkster finding racing room along the stretch pylons, Latest Desire paced a confident :28.1 closing quarter to win by a measured ‘neck’ margin in 1:52.

A recent purchase by the partnership of AWS Stables, Fairway Stables and Milton Leeman, Latest Desire eclipsed the $400,000 earnings plateau with his third straight win, including a 20 per cent bonus as Ohio owners winning from a nine-hole start. Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the seven-year-old Real Desire gelding.

(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)