The rainy weather seemed to have no restraint on Smoking Jet and Penpaperpaige, who were both Friday night Open winners at Dayton Raceway.
Smoking Jet's victory in the $25,000 Open Trot was the highlight of a multiple-win night for driver Chris Page (six wins) and trainer Ron Burke (four wins).
Leaving from post five in the top trot, Smoking Jet and Page made every pole a winning one, leading the field through fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:25 to a 1:53.4 win by a length and three-quarters over Platinum As and Refined.
Smoking Jet (pictured above) is owned by Page along with Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi. The six-year-old gelded son of Triumphant Caviar has earned 13 of his 37 career wins this year and is closing in on $600,000 in earnings. He now boasts 10 Open victories in 2023.
Smoking Jet paid $4.40 to win.
Page and Burke partnered for additional wins with Dayson ($3), Trick Of The Light ($19.20) and Celebrate Me Home ($3.40) while Page also won with Kinch ($5.40) for trainer Kelly Goodwin and Hermes Hill ($36.40) for the Tim Grubb stable.
Currently, Page sits atop the Dayton driving standings with 80 victories this season while Burke tops all trainers this meet with 31 winners thus far.
With a brush and crush move, Penpaperpaige and driver Tyler Smith won the co-featured $25,000 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace for trainer Jeff Smith.
Leaving from post four, Penpaperpaige retreated off the car as a hot early duel between Alexa Skye and Kobes Gigi took place to the quarter in :27. Alexa Skye had the lead to the half in :55 before Kobes Gigi took took over to three-quarters in 1:22.4. Penpaperpaige made a bold first-up move from fourth at that point to swoop Kobes Gigi and take over for the victory in 1:51.1 by a length. Kobes Gigi finished second over late-closer Lookatmyrapsheet, with Alexa Skye fourth.
Penpaperpaige's driver co-owns the six-year-old Pet Rock mare with his daughter Maevyn Smith and Bet The House. The victory was Penpaperpaige's fourth of the season from 14 starts and the career winner of 23 races now boasts a bankroll totalling $638,891.
Penpaperpaige paid $5.20 to win.
(With files from Dayton Raceway)