Driver Brett Miller continued his winning ways on Saturday, Oct. 11 at Dayton Raceway, notching up five victories in a card for the second time this week and capping off the performance in the featured $39,437 Open Handicap Pace.
In the Open, Lou Hill (Kayne Kauffman) left alertly and strung out fellow leaver The Bird Dance N (Jeremy Smith) to the quarter in :26.1. As The Bird Dance N cleared to the lead, Miller moved the parked-out Surreal Ideal to the front, reaching command as the field went by the toteboard. Joelsyy Hanover (Trevor Smith) then moved up and applied first-over pressure through the half in :54 and battled nose-to-nose with the leader to three-quarters in 1:21.3 before eventually fading in the stretch. The Bird Dance N moved from the pocket to the passing lane to challenge in the stretch, gaining ground briefly before Surreal Ideal powered on again and won by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:49.3. The Bird Dance N held for second, while Humble A (Tyler Smith) finished third off a second-over trip.
The win for Surreal Ideal was his fourth in a row at the Open level, a streak that has involved three different tracks. The Vernon Beachy trainee is now five-for-20 this year for 518 Group LLC and Gitup Racing. The seven-year-old son of So Surreal-Jkmusicofthenite is 35-for-122 lifetime. He paid $3 to win.
Miller got on the board in the second race, piloting 19-1 longshot Pullingthestrings ($41.60) from last at the half to first at the finish in 1:52.4. He chose a different tactic in the following race, placing 5-2 second choice Pj Lou ($7) on the front and never looking back in 1:49.4. He returned to the winner's circle again in the seventh race, this time working out a second-over trip with Bronx Seelster ($6.20), who got up by a half-length to win in 1:51.3. Miller then provided Bells David ($9) with a two-hole trip in the eighth, and the gelding worked that into a head victory in 1:52. The reinsman made it in three wins in a row in the Open. His other five-win night at Dayton this week was on Wednesday.
Miller led all drivers. Trevor Smith and Jeremy Smith followed with triples, and Chris Page had a double. Trainers Tessa Perrin and Jason Brewer each had two wins.
Racing returns to Dayton Raceway on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
(Dayton Raceway)