Jeremy Smith won half of Hollywood Dayton's 14 races on the Tuesday matinee, falling one short of the track record of eight triumphs on a single program.
His seven wins pulled him into a tie with Brett Miller in the local dash standings, each with 63 over the first 35 days of the 74 day meet which runs through December 30.
Smith captured the first three races on the afternoon card. Risky Million (1:55.3, $10.80) was his first tally, followed by Optimum Lux (1:57.1, $10.80) and Maching Me Zilly (1:54.1, $7.60). His other successes came behind Sweet Mr Pinetucky (1:54.2, $9.80), Donttakeitpersonal (1:56.3, $8.00), Dashing To Da Wire (1:52.3, $8.80) and Cambassador (1:53.4, $9.00).
With the meet nearing its halfway juncture this Saturday night, Smith and Miller are two of 13 drivers who have double digit win totals. A total of 14 reinsmen have guided their mounts to over $100,000 in current meet earnings.
Following Smith and Miller, Josh Sutton is just four wins behind with 59 winner's circle visits. Tyler Smith (50) is next, followed by Dan Noble (39), Chris Page (33), Trevor Smith (31), Kayne Kauffman (30), Shawn Barker II (20), Chris Presley and Jason Brewer (19 each), Cameron McCown (13) and Brady Galliers (10).
Miller is the first driver to eclipse the $500,000 purse earnings plateau in 2020 with $514,537 credited to his mounts' accounts. Noble sports the highest Universal Driver Rating System score with a nifty .341 average.
Refined, the lone mare in a field of eight talented Open trotters withstood a challenging first-over trip and pulled away to a one length victory in Thursday afternoon’s feature race at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.
Driver Cameron McCown, sitting in for regular pilot Brett Miller, got away from the gate third behind Fanatic (Josh Sutton) and Pass The Vape (Trevor Smith) in a :26.4 first quarter. Before reaching the halfway point in: 56, however, McCown had the four-old daughter of Uncle Peter out a moving.
By the time the top trotters reached the three-quarter beam in 1:23.1 Refined was in front but being stalked by race favourite Ladys Dude (Chris Page). The winner actually relinquished the lead momentarily at the head of the stretch, but Refined fought back gamely to reassume command from Ladys Dude and then fend off longshot Milfords Z Tam (Tyler Smith) who rallied sharply in the lane to secure second money. The mile was clocked in 1:52.3, a new lifetime best Refined, whose lifetime bankroll swelled to $181,310.
Carlo Poliseno owns the Ohio-sired winner and sent it to Virgil Morgan, Jr., who was making his seventh start since Refined came into his barn. She has four wins, a second and a third in that span.
(Hollywood Dayton Raceway)