Fearless Ginger won her second top-class dash in row on Thursday, Jan. 29 in Miami Valley Raceway's $49,315 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace, headlining a triple for trainer Ron Burke.
Leaving from post five, regular driver Chris Page fired her out quickly off the gate to take the lead in the short field of five, which lined up single file through the quarter and half in fractions of :27.3 and 56.3, respectively. As they moved up the backside, stablemate Naked On A Hill (Dave Miller) waited until she neared the third station to pull and make her first-over advance, and after a quick few strides, pulled within a half-length of leader Fearless Ginger as she tripped the three-quarter timer in 1:24.3.
Fearless Ginger turned away that advance around the final turn, edging away from the challenger to reestablish a one-length lead, and that was all that was needed as Fearless Ginger cruised home in 1:52.3. Naked On A Hill retained second, three-quarters of a length back, while Tarapasta (Austin Hanners) rallied for third.
The win was the second in a row for Fearless Ginger, pushing her 2026 earnings to $59,380 in four starts, nearly a quarter of what she earned last year with 26 outings. The five-year-old Fear The Dragon-Ginger Shark mare is 21-for-66 lifetime with $587,790 in earnings. She has won twice this season for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She paid $3.60 to win.
For trainer Burke, the win was one of three on the 14-race Thursday-night card. He swept the Opens, also capturing the $43,836 Fillies and Mares Open II Handicap Pace with High Flyin Filly ($4). The six-year-old daughter of Domethatagain-Live The Extreme went coast-to-coast for Page to score in 1:54, 1-3/4 lengths the best over Rose Run Vision (Lewayne Miller) with Foxy Hill (Austin Hanners) third. Also owned by Burke Racing and Weaver Bruscemi, the winner is one-for-three this year and 30-for-103 lifetime.
Burke also won with Lady Cafe Au Lait ($13.40) in the non-winners of 10 class for fillies and mares. He has 13 wins at the meet so far and is tied for second in the trainers' standings with Heather France, both behind Virgil Morgan Jr., who has 17. Steve Carter and Ken Rucker round out the top five with nine and eight wins, respectively. Burke's 35 victories across all tracks leads North America, four ahead of Jodie Cullen.
Trainers Steve Searle, Herman Hagerman and France each recorded doubles. Page led all drivers with four wins, Jeremy Smith had three, and Luke Hanners and Trace Tetrick each had a double.
The drivers' title race remains a tight one with David Miller (30) leading the way. Page (29) sits one off the lead, with Brett Miller (26), Jeremy Smith (23) and Luke Hanners (21) completing the top five.
Racing action returns to Miami Valley on Sunday with a 4 p.m. first post.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)