Better Is Nice went all the way to win the final $38,356 Horses and Geldings Open Pace of the 2025 Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway meet on Saturday, Dec. 27.

Tyler Smith had the four-year-old Bettors Wish-Thatsoveryverynice gelding on his toes at the start and opened up some early daylight during the opening quarter of :27.3. I Did It Myway (Luke Hanners) was in the pocket and Naturally Gifted A (Brett Miller) sat on the rail in third. Gorgeous Big Guy (Chris Page) was flushed off the pylons from fourth nearing the half in :57.1, providing cover for Downbytheocean (Josh Sutton) past the midway point. Better Is Nice got away from his challengers with a :54 back half to seal the deal, reaching three-quarters in 1:24.1 and stopping the clock in 1:51.1. Gorgeous Big Guy unleashed a :26.3 final quarter to close the final gap to 1-1/4 lengths. Naturally Gifted A was third.

Better Is Nice, who has now earned $1,424,317 and won 15 times in 45 career starts, is trained by Michael Hitchcock for the partnership of William Hartt and H&H Stable. He paid $11.40 in his third win this season in 16 attempts.

Joelsyy Hanover went gate-to-wire but had to hold off a two-pronged attack late to win the $30,137 conditioned pace.

He was the fasteset of the four early leavers and controlled the pace for Sam Widger, putting up fractions of :26.4 and :55.3. Skipper N (Trace Tetrick) was the first to pull to the outside, racing with Hello Sweetie Boy (Tyler Smith) on his back while Chris Page elected to keep the favoured Racing Rebel in the pocket to three-quarters in 1:24.1. When the leader turned for home, he received an inside challenge from Racing Rebel and was besieged from the outside by Skipper N. Joelsyy Hanover fought on, and he reached the line a neck ahead of Racing Rebel and a half-length better than Skipper N in 1:51.4.

Jessica Millner trains Joelsyy Hanover and co-owns him with Andrew Coblentz. The son of Jk Endofanera-Jans Luck closes out his seven-year-old season with eight wins in 34 starts. He is now 29-for-152 lifetime. The win price was $5.80.

Page finished the evening with a driving triple and five other reinsmen had doubles.

Racing returns to Dayton on Monday, Dec. 29 for the penultimate card of 2025.

(Dayton Raceway)