It doesn't seem to make a bit of difference how the stars align in southwest Ohio, Stars Align A seems unbeatable in the weekly Open Pace. The Aussie import raced for brand new owner Joshua Graber -- who purchased the seven-year old son of Art Major via a recent online auction for a reported $100,000 bid -- on Saturday night (Oct. 17) with the same result: a stunning and dominating performance.
Despite being assigned the nine hole in an impressive 10-horse field, regular driver Dan Noble set sail immediately with the 4-5 favourite and easily gained command before an eighth of a mile transpired. With the stud, who continues to be trained by Noble's wife Christi, acting a little headstrong, he was guided unchallenged through fractions of :26.1, :53.2 and 1:21 before finishing without urging in 1:49.2.
"He's probably the best horse we've ever trained in our stable," Noble exclaimed shortly after the feature race triumph. "In fact, he's one of the best I've ever driven. I really believe he could go in 1:47 over this track!"
My Hero Ron (Josh Sutton), a top condition class winner a week ago, gave chase throughout and finished a creditable second ahead of Americanprimetime (Jason Brewer), who was last week's Open winner.
Stars Align A now has 32 career wins in 88 tries and has banked $418,198.
GREGG KEIDEL WINS GLADA TROT WITH MILFORDS Z TAM AT DAYTON
Members of the Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association were on the move again this weekend with a trot at Dayton on Saturday evening. When the judges hung the official sign upon the completion of the $7,200 event Gregg “Fast Greggy” Keidel rallied Milfords Z Tam to a 1:56.4 triumph over seven competitors.
When the starter let the field go Daniel Jones gunned Dont Forget Muscle for the lead from the two-hole and they gained command before the first quarter timer flashed :28.1. Once on the lead Jones kept the pedal to the metal and zipped unchallenged by the halfway point although Alesha Binkley was tight on his back with Hititoutofthepark.
Daryl Bontrager was the first to move with Conway Kellyanne and they charged alongside Jones and Dont Forget Muscle as the field trotted by the third stanza. At that point the field tightened but Jones' trotter was still in front and when they headed for paydirt Dont Forget Muscles stride began to shorten after trotting :28.3 third quarter.
Although Keidel's attention was on the horses in front of him (he was fifth at the time) when Milford Z Tam rounded the final turn and headed for home he was full of trot and charged home in :28.3 for a solid one-length triumph over Hititoutofthepark in 1:56.4. Dont Forget Muscle garnered the show dough.
The winner is owned by William Hartt and trained by Michael Hitchcock. He paid $6.20 for win.
Hollywood Dayton Raceway presents matinee programs on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:30; and Friday and Saturday night programs that begin at 6:15.
(Dayton / GLADA)