Seaside Way, a promising three-year-old son of Downbytheseaside, upended heavily favoured ELs Rocker in the final stride to capture the $25,000 championship final of the Omar Hiteman Memorial Series at Miami Valley on Sunday (April 10). The 1:52 clocking equaled the lifetime best of Seaside Way, who paid $23.40 to win.

Driver Chris Page sat patiently in third with Seaside Way as ELs Rocker posted moderate first-half fractions of :27.4 and :57 before speeding to trip three-quarters in 1:24.1. As the field was coming off the final bend, Seaside Way angled to the outside and began shortening the open-length margin the favourite was enjoying. 

By midstretch it became obvious that the winning Ron Burke-trainee had a shot, and the two-horse race was on—right to the finish line. It took the photo finish camera to determine that Seaside Way had snapped ELs Rocker on the wire. Rockin Sandsave enjoyed a pocket ride throughout and garnered the show dough.

Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, Knox Services and Slaughter Racing own Seaside Wave, who only managed one win as a freshman but banked $72,960 in ten starts. Thus far in 2022 he has had four starts with a 1-1-1 scorecard and $17,690 earned.

Next start for Seaside Way may be in a $20,000 elimination heat of the annual James K. Hackett Memorial on Thursday, April 21. Top finishers return for a $50,000 Hackett final on April 28. The Hackett series features four divisions for pacers and trotters with colt and filly splits. Total purses for the Ohio-sired Hacketts, which annually signal the start of the Ohio stakes season, could exceed $400,000.

Racing resumes at Miami Valley on Monday (April 11) through Thursday (April 14) with a 4:05 p.m. (EDT) post time each afternoon.

(Miami Valley Raceway)