Four $102,740 James K. Hackett Memorial finals for three-year-olds took centre stage on Thursday, April 23 at Miami Valley Raceway, with all four events taken by an elimination winner.

The filly pacers kicked off the show in the second race. Last week's two elimination winners left the gate hard with Seaside Shuffle (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) making the front in a :27.2 first quarter and Kb Wrecking Ball (Luke Hanners) settling in the pocket. Shacarri (Chris Page) pulled from third just past the quarter to move up and take command before the half in :56.2. 

Favourite Kb Wrecking Ball was flushed out first-over by Mingle In Dingle (David Miller), and they advanced down the backstretch. Shacarri's lead was down to a nose at three-quarters in 1:24.1 as Kb Wrecking Ball drew even. The two leaders battled stride-for-stride around the final corner with Kb Wrecking Ball nosing ahead as they straightened for home. In the stretch, Kb Wrecking Ball drew clear under minimal encouragement from Hanners to win by 1-3/4 lengths in a lifetime-best 1:52. Mingle In Dingle closed for second over Shacarri.

Kb Wrecking Ball, a daughter of Fool Me Once-Shes A Ball, earned her sixth win in a row, moving her record to six-for-seven in her rookie season. The Deb Swartz trainee, unraced at two, has now earned $111,825 for owner-breeder Bradley Delaney. She paid $3.40 to win.

Charlies Moni improved to two-for-two on the year and equalled a divisional track record in the event for trotting fillies. Charlies Moni left alertly for Chris Lems and took the early lead as Faster Horses (Aaron Merriman) slid into the pocket. Speedbewithyou (Austin Hanners) and Rose Run Brooke (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) were left hung out and were forced to go the long way as Charlies Moni led them to the quarter in :28 and half in :56. 

Down the backside, Charlies Moni remained steady on the front while the long journeys of Speedbewithyou and Rose Run Brooke took their toll, and the two began to fade as the mile wore on. Charlies Moni was comfortable on the lead to three-quarters in 1:24 with Faster Horses in the pocket and waiting to pounce. Into the stretch, Charlies Moni held off Faster Horses and won by a length in a lifetime-best and track-record-tying 1:53.2. Faster Horses finished second with Cast No Stones (Trevor Smith) rallying up the rail for third.

The win was the third lifetime in 10 starts for the Vernon Beachy-trained Charlies Moni. The daughter of Ready For Moni-Makes Me Crazy has earned $132,765 for owners 518 Group LLC, Ryan Smith, Gitup Racing and Hayden Myers. She returned $4.

Crocodile Station, an Ohio Breeders Championship winner at two, took the final for pacing colts and geldings. Prolific Blend (Brett Miller) was first to find the front, but his reign was short-lived as Backninebar (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) quickly cleared before yielding to Sparks N Fire (Austin Hanners), who led to the quarter in :26.4. The action from the back got underway as Chris Page pulled with Lindy Dragonwater, a defending Ohio Sires Stakes champion, from sixth, eventually flushing out 7-5 favourite Crocodile Station (David Miller), who blasted to the lead before the half in :55.1. 

Crocodile Station now led the field up the backside with Sparks N Fire in second and Backninebar in third. Lindy Dragonwater was now uncovered again in fourth and stalled on the outside as Crocodile Station brought the field to three-quarters in 1:22, a :26.4 third quarter. Crocodile Station then turned for home in command and powered to the line to win by length in a new lifetime best of 1:50.2. Sparks N Fire finished second but was placed third behind Prolific Blend due to a pylon violation.

The Mike Hitchcock-trained Crocodile Station picked up his second win of the year in three starts and sixth lifetime victory, pushing his earnings to $283,074 in 12 outings. William Hartt owns the son of Downbytheseaside-Camera Lady. The win price was $4.80.

Rose Run Banker made it a sweep for elim winners as he captured the colt-and-gelding-trot final. The complexion of the race changed at the start as heretofore undefeated 2025 Ohio Sires Stakes champion Big Ranger (Ronnie Gillespie) broke stride. With the race now wide open, Max The Mighty (Chris Lems) fired out from post seven and cleared easily to the front with Grape Crush (David Miller) finding his way to the pocket. Rose Run Banker (Chris Page) declined a seat in third before pressing on to the front at the quarter in :27.4. 

The field remained single file through the half in :57.2 until Grape Crush pulled first-over and began to close in on Rose Run Banker. Max The Mighty remained in the pocket with Special Moni (Tyler Smith) on the second-over cover to three-quarters in 1:25. Around the final turn, the front four opened up on the rest as they battled to the top of the stretch. Rose Run Banker pulled away down the lane and was never challenged as he cruised home to win by 1-3/4 lengths in a lifetime-best 1:53.4. Grape Crush was second over Special Moni.

Rose Run Banker, trained by Ron Burke, is two-for-two this year after picking up his fourth lifetime win in 11 starts while pushing his earnings to $330,881. The In Range-Hot Chili Girl colt is owned by Burke Racing Stable LLC, Hatfield Stables, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Knox Services Inc. The win price was $7.

Austin Hanners led all drivers with three wins on the 14-race card while Luke Hanners and Kayne Kauffman had two wins. 

Only one week remains in the Miami Valley meet with racing action returning on Sunday at 4 p.m. Closing week features six days of racing, with Saturday, May 2 (Kentucky Derby day) added in with a special 1 p.m. post. On that day, Ohio's finest three-year-olds will be on display in the first leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes. Also on the card will be the Grade 3 $100,000 USD Pacey Mindlin Invitational. 

(With files from Miami Valley Raceway; photo of Charlies Moni winning on April 23)