The Lionking AS scored the biggest victory of his young career Monday afternoon at Miami Valley Raceway by copping the $25,000 championship of the Ray Paver, Sr. Memorial late closer.

The series featured trotters who were non-winners of four races or $40,000 at the series start.

Trace Tetrick, the leading driver at the current Miami Valley meet, put the four-year-old son of Lionhunter on the engine early and coasted through fractions of :28.3, :57.3 and 1:26.2 before tacking on a :29.1 final split to complete the 1:55.3 triumph, a new lifetime mark. The Lionking AS was three lengths better than Missprimetimemel (LeWayne Miller) with favoured Air Assault (Brett Miller) completing the Trifecta despite an unfortunate outside post position draw.

Trainer Tyler George was the high bidder, for his own account, on the winner during an OnGait online auction in February. He has recouped a large majority of his $21,100 bid during the three-week Paver Memorial series, earning $19,500 on the strength of a first and fifth place finish in preliminary legs plus the lion’s share of the lucrative final.

Bred by ACL Stuteri AB of Kentucky, The Lionking AS was broke and raced through his two juvenile campaigns by trainer Anette Lorentzon.

(Miami Valley Raceway)