GD Western Joe was a repeat winner in the Saturday (Dec. 19) $17,800 Open Pace at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.

It was the eighth seasonal victory for the five-year-old son of Real Desire as well as the fourth win on the program for Page. A race later, Page revisited the winner's circle to give him five wins in the first 10 races.

Despite being handicapped to the outside of the field, GD Western Joe was able to dictate the race to his foes by stepping to the front just an eighth of a mile into the fray and never needing to look back. It is not often nowadays that you see a quicker back half than front half at Ohio's commercial tracks, but that was the case in this featured event—fractions were :27, :56, 1:23 and the mile was clocked in 1:51.

Braley Hanover sat the pocket throughout and tried in vein to gain on the winner in the stretch, but to no avail. Bro rallied gallantly in the late going to grab the third-place prize money.

Page's other winners were Drawing Dragons (1:51.1, $3.20), Major Nemesis (1:52.2, $5.60), Persistent Threat A (1:53.1, $5.40) and the trotter Another Breath (1:55.2, $5.00).

(Hollywood Dayton Raceway)