The harness racing action was hot and heavy at Miami Valley Raceway on Saturday night (Jan. 23) with a $20,000 Open Pace and six divisions of preliminary Claim To Fame Series, the final opportunity for the nominees to earn valuable points to qualify for lucrative championships next Saturday.
Sandwiched between all those keenly contested events came a real shocker, though, as Thisjetsabookin (Josh Sutton) sped to an all-time track record 1:50 performance in a conditioned race for non-winners of 10 races lifetime.
The altered four-year-old son of Jeremes Jet lowered his own speed standard, taken at Hoosier Park in mid-summer, by a full second in earning his ninth career victory. Owned by trainer Tom Harmer’s Ciara Stable and his longtime friend Gerry Bookmyer, who is also the new track record holder’s breeder, Thisjetsabookin shaved one-fifth of a second off the old 1:50.1 standard established by Ice Scraper (Ken Holliday) on April 4, 2015.
Thisjetsabookin was the front-stepper for the seventh consecutive race, rushing to the quarter-mile marker in :26.2 despite 25 degree weather. Subsequent fractions were :53.3, and an eye-popping 1:20.2 at the three-quarter station before coasting home in 1:50 flat.
Fancy Creek Elusiv (Chris Page) captured the $20,000 Open Pace in 1:51.2, holding off Mykindachip (Kayne Kauffman) and Positively Perfect (Jeremy Smith) for his first 2016 score, fresh off a 2015 season in which he won nine times and earned $114,394. Billy Farmer conditions the six-year-old Sportsmaster gelding for owner Todd Rosenberg.
In Claim To Fame Series action for $12,500 pacing mares, Lady Ashlyn (Tyler Smith) was an upset winner in the first division over Love Of Liberty (Josh Sutton) and Ellies Best Dream (Jeremy Smith) while the second split was won by Allthatjazz De Vie (Trace Tetrick), who bested Ginger Spice N (Randy Tharps) and Princess Baby Ella (Chris Page). Those six will be joined by Miss Metro Fitz, Zumba and McEver in the $18,700 championship next week.
Male $12,500 pacers concluded the preliminary legs in their series in four divisions. Winners were Ally Con (Josh Sutton) in 1:53.1, Hot Shot Lawyer in 1:52.1, Falcon Justice (Chris Page in 1:52.3) and Scootnfordamoney (Trace Tetrick). The top nine money-winners in the series will go postward chasing a $29,500 bounty next Saturday.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)