Somebodyslilly scored a 1:51.4 triumph over a classy field of 10 in the $30,000 Open Mares Handicap on Friday (Dec. 10) at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.
Driver Tony Hall made the winning move immediately after the starting gate wings folded, rushing out quick enough to grab a pocket seat behind fellow leaver Marloe Hanover (Mitch Cushing). Early fractions of :26 and :55.3 kept everyone in straight alignment until the field straightened out down the backstretch heading for three-quarters. When that station was reached in 1:23.1, Hall moved Somebodyslilly to the outside and was lapped on to Marloe Hanover.
Shortly thereafter, the winner took command and had no anxious moments cruising down the stretch with several lengths to spare. Longshots Stay Gold (Kayne Kauffman) and Mildrix (Dan Noble) emerged from a pack of contenders in the late going to secure second and third place finishes.
Eli Schwartz owns and trains the four-year-old lass by Time To Roll. She now sports a dozen wins in her first 50 lifetime starts, good for earnings of $256,740.
Earlier on the program, a pair of Hollywood Mini Series finals were contested.
Future MVP (Chris Presley) raced gallantly for owner Robert Sidley and his longtime trainer Mike Medors, scoring in 1:57.1. Despite being headed halfway down the lane by eventual runner-up Telling The Story (Brett Miller), the winner battled back in the $22,000 event for trotters that were non-winners of two pari-mutuel races. Blu Starz (Tony Hall) garnered the show dough.
In a similar contest for relatively green pacing colts, Rave Reviews (Chris Page) defeated Dial Him Up (Dan Noble) and Hoosier Hypnotic (Brett Miller) in 1:52. Timothy Grubb conditions the winner for owner Kirk Nichols.
Racing resumes Saturday (Dec. 11) at Hollywood Dayton with a 4 p.m. post time. The program will feature a $10,000 guaranteed pool in the mid-card 50-cent Pick 5, comprising races five through nine. In conjunction with the USTA Strategic Wagering Program, the $10,000 guaranteed net pool will be seeded by a $4,406 carryover.
(With files from Dayton)