Two track records were lowered in the two top trotting events on the Thursday program at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.
The standard for aged mares, age five and up, was lowered to 1:52.4 by Refined in winning the $24,000 Open Handicap Trot. Driver Mitch Cushing fired to the front from an assigned outside post position, leading the field through all the fractions (:27.3, :56.4 and 1:24.3 before closing in :28.1 to seal the deal in 1:52.4. I Know My Chip (Tyler Smith), Shake It Mary (Tony Hall), Pass The Vape (Trevor Smith) and Jesse Popper (Kayne Kauffman) picked up the remaining paycheques, while odds-on favourite Mission Accepted (Chris Page) finished a disappointing sixth.
Refined, a five-year-old daughter of Uncle Peter, won for the eighth time in 18 seasonal starts and increased her 2021 bankroll to $148,420. Virgil Morgan, Jr. trains the talented lass for owners Joyce McClelland and Larry Willis. She paid $11.60 to win with the Exacta returning $37.40.
The old divisional track record belonged to Pasithea Face, who captured the Dayton Trotting Derby in 1:53 several years ago.
Earlier on the card, Celebrate With Me smashed the track standard for three-year-old trotting fillies in the week's top conditioned trot chasing a $16,000 purse. Chris Page positioned the daughter of Full Count behind favoured Two OB Wonkenobi (Shawn Barker II) through most of the mile before angling out in the stretch and sprinting to a 1-1/2 length tally in 1:53.4. The favourite held second while I Like Pete (Trevor Smith) secured the show finish. Celebrate With Me paid $9.20 and the Exacta was a healthy $24.60.
Black Mamba AS' 1:55 triumph had been the local record for sophomore fillies.
The winner, already a winner of $309,948 in her juvenile career, was purchased at the beginning of her second racing season by Burke Racing, BFJ Stable, Knox Services and Weaver Bruscemi. She has earned about half of her lifetime earnings in each of her first two years of racing.
Racing resumes Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. at Hollywood Dayton. There will be a carryover of $395 into the early 50-cent Pick 4 pool (1st race) and a $1299 carryover into the first 20-cent Hi-5 (4th race).
(Hollywood Dayton)