Easter Jack extended his win streak to five, including three straight over the Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway oval, as he rose to the track's top level and won the $39,437 Open Trot on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
Iwont Backdown As (Luke Hanners) took command off the wings and led the field past the opening quarter in :27.2 and the half in a pedestrian :57.2. Easter Jack was eased off the gate by Brett Miller and sat last in the field of five through the opening half before picking up the cover of the bettors' choice, Niko Man (Jeremy Smith), approaching three-quarters in 1:25.4. Easter Jack then out-kicked Niko Man by three parts of a length with a :28.1 final quarter to win in 1:54.1. Fiftyfour K (Chris Page) was third.
Easter Jack, a four-year-old son of Dover Dan-Speedy Edie, is trained by Kyle Husted, who shares ownership with John Schwarz. The gelding is now 20-for-77 lifetime with $238,484 in earnings. He paid $5.20 to win.
In a $23,944 conditioned trot, E Pass (Chris Page) went gate-to-wire to record a neck victory over the fast-closing favourite Grand Revival (Jeremy Smith). E Pass was able to control the fractions and was unhurried through the opening splits of :27.3 and :57. Dudley (Sam Widger) then applied moderate pressure to E Pass, who opened a two-length lead at three-quarters in 1:25.2. Grand Revival and Vel Jail Bondsman (Brett Miller) came off cover to make one final push, and both got within a half-length of E Pass at the wire, but he held on for the win in 1:55.3. Grand Revival was second over Vel Jail Bondsman.
E Pass recorded his ninth win of the season in 26 starts for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Ron Burke trains the four-year-old son of Uncle Peter-Lady Glider, who is now 12-for-53 lifetime and has earned $302,458. The win price was $5.
Page had a grand slam on the 14-race card.
Dayton Raceway will host its next card on Thursday, Oct. 23 with a 14-race slate starting at 4 p.m.
(Dayton Raceway)