Franzo, moving into Open company after three straight solid efforts in $30,000 claimers, was the upset winner of the weekly $22,000 Saturday (February 25) night feature at Miami Valley Raceway.

Owner/trainer Adam Short entrusted the reins to Dan Noble, and the purple-and-white clad 34-year-old teamster responded with his fifth win on the program from a second tier start in the full 10-horse field.

Franzo’s frantic finish started in sixth-place at the head of the stretch and resulted in a last-stride 1:51.4 victory. The five-year-old Rockin Image gelding nipped My Buddy Ninkster (Tyler Smith) and Angelo J Fra (Chris Page) at odds of 9-1, returning $20.40 to his $2 supporters. The winning 10-2 exacta paid a healthy $207.20 dividend, while a successful 10-2-1 $2 trifecta was worth $670.20. Hickory Icon (John DeLong) was a close-up fourth at the wire, while favoured Southwind Amazon (Simon Allard) tried gallantly to overcome his assigned outside post position, but faltered to fifth in the lane due to a parked-out :27 first quarter to get to the lead.

The Open Pace was carded as the 12th race, which features the daily 10-cent Super Hi Five wager. No one could solve the pentafecta bet, resulting in a $1,946.37 carryover and a $5,000 guaranteed total pool on the Sunday (February 26) matinee 12th race. Post time on Sunday afternoons at Miami Valley is 2:05 p.m.

Noble began his hot night with the trotter River Thames, who lit up the toteboard with a $111.20 win mutuel, stopping the clock in 1:56. His other successes came behind pacers Whoyoucallingafool (1:54, $8.60), Our Dragon King (1:54, $4.40) and Perrito Caliente (1:53.4, $4.40).

(Miami Valley Raceway)