Miss Smead and Dark Mirage captured the co-features on a dry, but bitterly cold late afternoon matinee at Miami Valley Raceway on Sunday (Jan. 9), completing the first of 17 weeks comprising the 2022 meet.
The regular weekly schedule calls for five consecutive days of live racing, from Sunday through Thursday beginning at 4:05 p.m. each program.
Miss Smead captured a $17,500 conditioned trot in 1:55.3 for driver Trace Tetrick and owner/trainer Don Eash. Tetrick, who has taken the early lead in the local dash derby, used a strong third quarter "brush and crush" move to advance from sixth to third and assume a widening lead shortly thereafter. By the top of the stretch, Miss Smead enjoyed a four-length margin and maintained it to the wire, beating Rose Run Valor (Kayne Kauffman), Parkhill Lancelot (Mitch Cushing) and Ima Diamond Babe (Tony Hill) by 3-1/2 lengths in the end.
As the mild favourite, Miss Smead paid $5.80 to win. It was the 15th triumph for the five-year-old daughter of Guccio.
Driver Chris Page got Dark Shadow away fifth in a $15,000 conditioned pace for high caliber mares. Moving just past the half, the four-year-old daughter of So Surreal advanced to third on the outside at the three-quarters station, second by two lengths at the top of the stretch, then inched past pacesetting Princess Rougarou (Dan Noble) by a neck at the wire in 1:53. Debt Motivated (Brett Miller) finished three lengths further back in third.
Sunday's race was the initial Miami Valley start for the Ron Burke-trained winner, who has been racing at The Meadows and Northfield Park. It was the fifth career success for Dark Shadow and the 1:53 tally represented a new lifetime best. She is owned by Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
Tetrick lead all drivers on Sunday with three victories. Josh Sutton, Brett Miller, Jeremy Smith and Chris Page all notched doubles.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)