Prince Of Honor picked up his second straight victory with a 1:53.2 effort as he returned to the top trotting ranks at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway in the $39,436 Open Handicap Trot on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Scratched down to a field of six, the race started with a brief duel between Triathlon As (Jeremy Smith) and Prince Of Honor, with the former assuming command at the quarter in :27.4. No one moved in the second panel, allowing the leader to reach the midway point in :56.3. Going down the backstretch, a move by Helpfirstedition (Tyler Smith) flushed Prince Of Honor out of the pocket, and the five-year-old Walner-Princess Aurora gelding started his chase after Triathlon As nearing three-quarters in 1:25.3. Triathlon As and Prince Of Honor trotted in unison for much of the stretch drive but were joined late by Yo Beth D (Trevor Smith) in the passing lane and Easter Jack (Brett Miller) on the outside. Prince Of Honor forged ahead late to win by a neck over Yo Beth D. Easter Jack nailed Triathlon As for third, a half-length back of the winner.

Prince Of Honor is now 20-for-66 lifetime with $651,106 in earnings. He is trained by Ron Burke and owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He paid $3.20 to win.

Trainer Brian Brown earned his 2,000th lifetime victory on the card via an off-the-pace effort by Groove (Cameron McCown) in a $18,310 conditioned pace. The freshman Downbytheseaside-Cryptogram filly scored a half-length score over Callmeovrdahill (Trevor Smith) in 1:55.4. Dancin In My Sleep (Jason Beattie) was third. The winner is a homebred for Diamond Creek Racing. She paid $27.80 to win.

Brown recorded his first training win in the late 1980s. He was named the U.S. Trainer of the Year in 2017 after winning the North America Cup with Fear The Dragon and several major stakes with Downbytheseaside that season. He also trained Breeders Crown and Jugette champion Colors A Virgin. The 61-year-old is enjoying a solid 2025 with 55 wins in 233 starts for a win rate of 23.6 per cent.

In the $33,803 Open II Handicap Trot, Refined used a pocket trip from driver Tyler Smith to defeat a field of male rivals. A trio of trotters competed for the early lead with Refined clearing rail starter Texsong Soprano (Luke Hanners) to lead at the quarter in :28. Angel Nation (Jeremy Smith) took command before the half in :56.4 and led unopposed to three-quarters in 1:26.3 in the rain over a surface rated good. Refined then shifted out of the pocket on the final turn and wore down Angel Nation in the stretch to win by a neck in 1:55.1. Texsong Soprano rounded out the triactor.

Virgil Morgan Jr. trains Refined, a nine-year-old Uncle Peter-Reinvent mare, for Joyce A. McClelland Stable LLC and Larry Wills. She is now 52-for-156 lifetime with $1,499,154 in earnings. She returned $4.40 at the windows.

Action returns to Dayton Raceway on Thursday afternoon with a 14-race card starting at 4 p.m.

(With files from Dayton Raceway)