A record handle, a handful of wins for Chris Page, and the 3,000th win for Jeff Nisonger were highlights of an exceptional Opening Night at Miami Valley Raceway on Friday, Jan. 6, despite frigid eight-degree temperatures.
The prospects for a tremendous opening week seem real with a powerful 14-race Saturday night (January 7) program on tap followed by three consecutive matinees, which include the inaugural $25,000 North American Drivers Challenge.
The $531,410 Friday handle obliterated the old wagering standard as an enthusiastic live crowd was joined by a growing number of simulcast patrons across the country who are realizing that Miami Valley presents a viable betting product with full fields of competitive horses and one of the strongest drivers colonies in the land.
On the track, Noone To Depend On captured the $22,000 Fillies and Mares Open I Pace with an impressive 1:53.3 score for trainer/driver Kayne Kauffman. A recent Harrisburg sale purchase, the four-year-old Santanna Blue Chip lass swept from seventh at the half-mile marker to a half-length victory for new owners Stephen Herrick and Mark Bogen. Dispatched at 8-1 in her first Open company test, Noone To Depend On bested runner-up Lease Ness Monster (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) and show finisher American Girl (Trace Tetrick).
Chris Page notched five wins on the night to grab the early local dash derby lead. Perennially one of Ohio's top reinsmen, Page's first triumph came behind the trotter No Whip Chip (1:58.2, $9.60 to win), owned by Deb Noble, the widow of the late great Chip Noble, and trained by their daughter Meredith Noble. Page followed up with winning drives with pacers Lucky Lime (1:54.4, $6.00), Friskie Adam (1:55.1, $11.40), Cast No Shadow (1:54.4, $7.00) and Lancaster Park (1:54.4, $4.60).
Kauffman added a pair of other wins to his feature race success, scoring a hat trick to open his 2017 season.
Jeff Nisonger notched his 3,000th career victory in the nightcap, steering Brookletssugarland from his own training stable to a nine-length romp in 1:56.4. Nisonger and owner Janie Hartley have long been fond of the now 10-year-old Personal Power mare, who has 37 lifetime winner's circle visits and over $200,000 in earnings. Nisonger, age 35, began his driving career at the turn of the century and enjoyed much success at Lebanon Raceway, where he won multiple meet driving titles, as well as being a sought-after driver on the Ohio county fair circuit.
Post time for Friday and Saturday night programs at Miami Valley is 6:05 p.m., with the Sunday, Monday and Tuesday matinees beginning at 2:05 p.m. for the next four months.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)