Despite ducking to the back of the pack from an assigned outside post position, razor-sharp GD Western Joe swept the entire field to win Miami Valley’s $22,000 Open Pace on Saturday (Jan. 16), his fourth win at the head of the class to go with one runner-up finish in his last five starts.
After leaving the gate for good early position in his last six starts, driver Chris Page implemented a different strategy in this outing. Starting a length off the gate, Page guided the six-year-old son of Real Desire to the pylons, trailing all eight of his adversaries when the quarter was reached by favoured Stars Align A in :26.2. Sensing a rapid pace, Page was content to keep his charge in arrears past the halfway juncture in :55.1.
It wasn’t until the field was nearing the 1:23.1 three quarter mark that GD Western Joe was moved into the outer flow. Moving wider and wider around the final turn, Page was five wide into the stretch drive. The early fractions then took their toll on Stars Align N, and a cavalry charge to the wire ensued.
GD Western Joe prevailed in 1:52, followed by Tivo Hanover and The Dark Shadow. The winner, trained by Ron Burke, paid $8.40. A $2 exacta was worth $49.40, a 50-cent trifecta returned $97.10, and a correct 10-cent Buckeye High 5 ducat returned $1,263.43.
Five $22,500 divisions of the final preliminary leg of the Claim To Fame series for $20,000 horses and geldings determined the finalists for next week’s $32,500 championship tilt.
Saturday winners were Rons EOM (Trace Tetrick, 1:51.3, $9), Jet Rock (Tyler Smith, 1:52.2, $3.60), Cyclone Kiwi N (Tetrick, 1:52.4, $4.20), Polak A (Tetrick, 1:53, $10.20) and Townline Flight (Josh Sutton, 1:53.3, $6).
Repeat winners Jet Rock and Townline Flight tied for the most series earnings and will be joined in the final by Dubious Claim, Polak A, Windsun Gotham, Rons EOM, Absolut Rocks and Jeremes General.
(Miami Valley Raceway)