Despite a tough trip and an outside post, Robert Michael cruised to victory in the featured $24,658 conditioned claiming trot on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway.
Luke Hanners had Aunt Lilly on top early with the bettors' choice, Hilltop Sonar (Chris Page) in the pocket through opening panels in :27.2 and :56.4. Robert Michael, who left from post nine, was parked the entire mile but picked up cover from Jimbaran Zon S (Tyler Smith) early.
As they went down the backstretch the final time, Robert Michael was sent three-wide by Trevor Smith and easily cleared Aunt Lilly just past the three-quarters in 1:25.2. Page was able to get off the rail on the final turn, but Robert Michael got the jump on Hilltop Sonar and scored the 2-1/4-length win in a career-best 1:53.3. A closing Massive Desire (Brett Miller) nosed out Hilltop Sonar for second.
Jason Irwin trains Robert Michael, a four-year-old homebred son of Crazy Wow-Mymomsablizzard, for Robert Weinstein. The gelding has won seven times in 41 career starts. He paid $8.20 to win.
In the $17,808 conditioned pace, driver Cam McCown picked up one of his three wins on the night thanks to a gate-to-wire effort from Vel Beach Babe.
The sophomore daughter of Straight Shooting-South Beach Babe won a three-way battle for the early lead and controlled the first-half fractions of :28.3 and :58.4. Top Shelf Sherry (Luke Hanners) was then able to flush out Eleanors Knight (James Yoder), and that gelding challenged the leader at the three-quarters in 1:26.3. But Vel Beach Babe used a :28.1 final panel to seal the deal and hand Top Shelf Sherry a three-quarter-length defeat in a new lifetime best of 1:54.4. Eleanors Knight finished third.
Nathan Alexander conditions the winner for the A I R Stable. The filly returned $41 in her ninth victory in 35 career starts.
Driver Chris Page recorded a grand slam during the 14-race card.
Racing resumes at Dayton on Wednesday with the standard 4 p.m. post time.
(With files from Dayton Raceway)