Driver Dan Noble, making his first drives on Friday (Feb. 28) after a 3-1/2 month respite, guided Big Bad Jane to victory in the $25,000 Open Mares Pace at Miami Valley Raceway.

The six-year-old daughter of Ohio stallion Big Bad John narrowly defeated Diamondtequilashot (Ricky Macomber Jr.) in 1:52.4, with last week’s winner Rosemary Rose (Chris Page) finishing third.

Bet down to even money, Noble took no chances with Big Bad Jane by grabbing the early lead easily and then coasting comfortably through fractions of :28, :55.3 and 1:23.2 before finally getting a late challenge from Diamondtequilashot as the top distaffers strained to the wire in 1:52.4 over a snow dampened racing surface.

Sandra Burnett owns the winner, who won eight races and earned $126,200 last season. She was making just her second 2020 start under the tutelage of Noble’s wife, Christi.

The initial leg of the Herb Coven Jr. Memorial Series, featuring pacing fillies and mares that were non-winners of four races or $40,000 on February 15, went postward in a pair of $12,500 divisions.

Hilary Barry N and Eyespywithmylileye N, both owned by the Trent Stohler Stable, trained by Alesha Binkley and driven by John DeLong, were impressive winners. The Down Under-bred stablemates each paid exactly $3.60 to win.

Hilary Barry N paced her mile in 1:55.3 to top Dragonfly (Trace Tetrick) and Pace Baby Pace (Chris Page). It was the third season score in seven tries, increasing her 2020 bounty to $33,550.

EyespywithmylileyeN was slightly quicker, stopping the teletimer in 1:54.4. The recent import from New Zealand bettered Jazzie Babe (Trevor Smith) and Heerz Hoosierhunny (Page) to remain undefeated on American soil with two straight triumphs.

(Miami Valley Raceway)