A solid field of nine $30,000 claimers, with a combined total of 212 lifetime victories, went postward at Miami Valley Raceway on Sunday (January 29) to contest the $35,500 championship leg of their divisional Claim To Fame Series, one of seven being decided in a stretch of five days at the southwest Ohio oval.

As a snow flurry kicked up and the wings of the Woebkenberg starting gate folded, King Harvest (Simon Allard) was launched from an outer post position to the front in a taxing :26.4. Allard was only able to back the halfway clocking off to :55 flat as an outer tier was forming with 7-5 favourite Dalhousie Dave (Trace Tetrick) leading those challengers coming on the outside. He was followed by 9-5 second choice Rocknroll Jewel (Jason Brewer) and One Lucky Dragon (Greg Grismore). Unable to cross over to the front, Dalhousie Dave had stuck a neck in front by the 1:23.2 third station. When King Harvest finally succumbed around the final bend, the sprint to the wire was on between the two favourites. With Tetrick squeezing a :29 closing panel from Dalhousie Dave, he was able to hold off runner-up Rocknroll Jewel in 1:52.2. Cosmicpedia (Kayne Kauffman) adeptly weaved through traffic in the lane to grab the show dough. One Lucky Dragon was fourth and Sir Mammo (Randy Tharps) fifth in the final.

Dalhousie Dave and Rocknroll Jewel, both 10-year-old geldings, were the oldest combatants in the field and returned a $12 exacta to those punters who believed experience counts.

Howard Taylor and Thomas Lazzaro own Dalhousie Dave, who now sports 34 career triumphs and more than $700,000 in earnings.

Both Trace Tetrick and Mike Oosting managed three wins during the first 10 races on the matinee program.

(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)