Following an outstanding 2019 season in Pennsylvania and along the east coast, Windsong Leo crossed the border into Ohio on Saturday night (Jan. 18) to take on the Midwest's best pacers in Miami Valley's $25,000 Open I Pace. The result was another win, the eight-year-old's fourth straight and 17th in his last 31 starts.
Driver Chris Page sat behind the even-money favourite, who was assigned an outside post off three-straight wins in the top class at The Meadows.
Unhurried early in the mile, Windsong Leo steadily advanced throughout the 1:53.2 score by collaring pacesetting Lifewithjohn around the final bend and comfortably holding off the late rushes of Granite and Beyond Delight through the stretch.
Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Phil Collura own the winner, a son of Jeremes Jet whose lifetime bankroll has swelled to $608,960. The feature-race win was one of five on the program for Page.
A $20,000 Open II Pace was captured by Shagnwiththedragon over Gerardo and Im A Big Deal, also clocked in 1:53.2. J.D. Perrin trains the six-year-old Dragon Again gelding who is owned by his wife Tessa Perrin and Eim Racing and was driven by John DeLong. He paid $17.20 to his backers.
Three divisions of the second leg of the Claim To Fame series for $20,000 male pacers also went postward, each for a purse of $22,500.
Winners were Pet Shark (Trevor Smith, 1:55.4, $5.60), Hereittiz (Trace Tetrick, 1:55, $9.20) and Ponderingjacksfame (Chris Page, 1:55, $3.00).
The three winners will be joined by the next six highest money winners in next Saturday's (Jan. 25) $32,500 championship leg of the series. Those remaining finalists are Winna Winna, Persistent Threat A, Monte Cristo, Ram N Desire, Cool Like That and JDs Macca Lodge.
(Miami Valley Raceway)