Angel Nation went back-to-back in the top trot at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway with a commanding victory in the $30,986 conditioned feature on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Jeremy Smith had heavy favourite Angel Nation on top before the opening quarter-mile station in :28.1 and was able to control the fractions to :57.2 and 1:26. After starting sixth, Chris Page took Fiftyfour K off the pylons nearing the half, and the gelding advanced to battle the leader past three-quarters. Angel Nation repelled that rival though, trotting a :28.2 final quarter to pull away by 3-1/2 lengths and prevail in 1:54.2. Fiftyfour K held second over pocket-tripper Rose Run Valor (Kayne Kauffman).
Angel Nation, an eight-year-old son of Archangel-Seawind Pascale, is conditioned by Antonia Storer for Friendship Stables LLC. The gelding is now 43-for-153 lifetime with $736,183 in earnings. He returned $2.40 in his 12th win from 34 seasonal starts.
Easter Jack took the $26,761 sub-featured conditioned trot, earning his fourth straight win for trainer Kyle Husted. He was fifth early while Spaaaanzano (Tyler Smith) led past the quarter, but Brett Miller sent Easter Jack on a second-quarter brush to take over past the midway point, and the gelding sprinted home to a four-length victory in 1:52.4. Distance Learning (Brady Galliers) nipped Spaaaanzano late for third. The final time equalled the winning Dover Dan-Speedy Edie gelding’s lifetime mark. Husted shares ownership of Easter Jack with John Schwarz.
Racing continues at Dayton Raceway on Thursday at 4 p.m.
(Dayton Raceway)