Pine Dream evened the recent score with All About Cowboys in the Sunday (Feb. 24) $24,000 Open I Handicap Trot at Miami Valley Raceway.

Over the last five weeks, the two top trotters have dominated the local square-gaiters, each winning a pair and each with two runner-up finishes. Both have earned just over $40,000 during the initial two months of the season.

The two trotting titans got away last and second-last in the scratch-shortened seven-horse field until well past the :57 halfway point, but when they decided it was time to go, they blew by their five adversaries in short order. Three-wide at the three-quarter station, driver Trace Tetrick flew to the top and opened up a commanding lead with Pine Dream. Jason Brewer and All About Cowboys tried gallantly to keep up, but could do no better than to tow along in Pine Dream’s wake through the stretch. Pine Dream stopped the timer on an extremely windy day in 1:55.2 and paid $5.80 to win, while the exacta with All About Cowboys returned $36.40.

Chupp Racing Stable Inc. plucked Pine Dream from the Blooded Horse Sale last August and needed a little good fortune to get him. “Merv went to the sale with his eye on a pacer, but his price went too high,” related trainer Kelly Chupp. “When he called a little later and said, 'I bought a trotter,' I said 'Oh no, just what we don’t need.' It has turned out great though and now I just love that little horse!”

Primed N Powerful (Tyler Smith) took full advantage of his drop into the $20,000 Open II Trot, beating Merci Monsieur AS (Kayne Kauffman) and Fomor (Josh Sutton) in 1:57. It was the winner’s first triumph in five tries in 2019 for trainer Bob Phillips and owners Ronald Phillips and Sharry Boledovich. The six-year-old gelding paid $7.20 to win.

(Miami Valley Raceway)