Martz Time bounced back from his first off-the-board finish of 2016 last week to win the $20,000 Open Trot at Miami Valley Raceway on Sunday (March 20) in convincing fashion.

Driver John DeLong allowed pole-sitter Revenue Agent and fellow ‘leaver’ Cimeron Ken to battle through a :28 opening quarter before pressing quickly to the front before the :55.4 halfway station. Although Tag Up And Go (Jeff Nisonger) applied mild pressure during the payoff half-mile, Martz Time looked in complete command to hold off the challenger by a half-length in 1:54.4. Favoured Il Mago (Trace Tetrick) got the show dough, but never mounted a serious threat during the mile.

John McGill and Brian Carsey own Martz Time, a seven-year-old son of Primetime Ranger, who now boasts 30 career wins and has earned $366,981 — 10 percent of which has been banked at Miami Valley in just seven seasonal starts. Walter Haynes Jr. conditions the winner.

Leading driver Josh Sutton, the first local reinsman to reach 100 wins this season and the first to crack the $800,000 purse earnings plateau, had another stellar afternoon with five victories during the 53rd card of the meet.

Sutton started the day with a natural hat trick in the first three races. The red, white and blue clad driver scored consecutively with Debis Sign (1:57, $4.00 to win), trotter Held in Balance (1:58.3, $3.40), and Docs Zippy (1:56, $7.20). Later in the card, Sutton returned to the winner's circle with Mustabeenadreamer (1:56.3, $8.00) and Kathys Kitchen (1:54.3, $17.40).

Sutton currently ranks seventh in North America with 108 wins on the strength of averaging over two wins per program at Miami Valley.

(Miami Valley Raceway)