Martz Time completed the sweep of the weekly $22,000 feature open race repeat winners on Tuesday at Miami Valley Raceway.
With outside horses leaving aggressively in the top trot, driver Kayne Kauffman was unhurried with Martz Time and content to race near the back of the pack during the first three-quarters of the fray. When the field bunched up around the final turn Martz Time was forced to swing three wide before picking off horses one-by-one through the stretch.
Shortly after passing his final foe, the winner cruised under the line in 1:56.1 to top fellow closer Rockinthepines (Andy Shetler) and Cimeronken (Kyle Ater). Pacesetter Insomniac (Brady Galliers) faded to fourth after cutting fractions of :27.2, :56.2 and 1:25.3.
Walter Haynes, Jr. trains Martz Time for owners John McGill and Brian Carsey. The eight-year-old gelding now sports 36 lifetime wins and $437,016 in earnings.
Two divisions of $12,500 claiming mares went to post in first leg action of their “Claim To Fame” series.
Ginger Tree Alexis (Tyler Smith) captured the first split in 1:53.1 over Transit Hanover (Kayne Kauffman) and Cenaltafirecracker (Chris Page).
Caviart Scarlett (Mike Oosting) proved best in the second division, topping Geisha Girl N (Chris Page) and A Little Starstruk (John DeLong) in 1:53.1.
A total of five of the 16 mares in the two contests were collared via the claim box by new owners.
The $8,000 male claiming pacers also opened their annual series in four full 10-horse divisions.
Turbo Mach (Trace Tetrick) beat Duneside Art (Mike Oosting) and Sand Summerfield (Jeremy Smith) to the finish line in 1:54.2; Grantor Hanover (John DeLong) topped Perma Grin (Pierce Henry) and Pastapalooza (Jason Brewer) in 1:54; Mikes Hope (Trevor Smith) was a 1:55 victor over Peck Blue Chip (Jason Brewer) and Fantastic Rock (Trace Tetrick); and Status Quo (Tyler Smith) was a 1:56.1 upset winner in the final test over Holy Chip (Kyle Ater) and P L Inferno (Kayne Kauffman).
A total of 14 of the 40 combatants were successfully claimed by new connections, most of whom will presumably enter the second leg when claiming tags grow by 25%.
(Miami Valley Raceway)