The final $18,500 Open Trot of the Hollywood Dayton Raceway meet produced an upset winner, 18-1 Monopoly Blue Chip.
The six-year-old son of Donato Hanover has been racing well during the meet, including two recent wins in top condition events, but had been no better than third in four previous Open level attempts.
Driver Kayne Kauffman guided the winner to the pylons when the gate swung open, getting away fourth in the :26.4 opening quarter-mile. Monopoly Blue Chip was eased off the pylons into the outer flow as the field passed the :56.3 halfway point, then found himself first-over in third as the third stanza timer was tripped in 1:24.4. The game gelding passed race favourites Pine Dream and Churita mid-stretch and then had to hold off the determined challenge of 7-1 All About Cowboys (Jeremy Smith) by a scant nose at the wire in 1:55.1. Pridecrest (Mike Oosting) completed the trifecta at odds of 30-1.
Monopoly Blue Chip paid $38.80 to win, the exacta returned $181.40 and a 50-cent trifecta was worth $334.20.
Jeff Olsen trains Monopoly Blue Chip for owner Shayne May. On the season, the winner now sports five triumphs in 25 starts and seasonal earnings of $52,860.
Two races later, Zoe Ellasen (Aaron Merriman) captured her third Mares Open Pace in her last five starts as the 9-5 second choice on the toteboard. The four-year-old Santanna Blue Chip lass swept past runner-up Endeavors Fantasy (Trace Tetrick) and show finisher Gone Girl (Jeremy Smith) in the stretch before stopping the timer in 1:52.3. The winner’s share of the $18,000 purse pushed trainer Tyler George’s pupil over the $100,000 seasonal earnings plateau. It was Zoe Ellasen’s 18th career win in just 63 starts, pushing her lifetime bounty to $313,235. She is owned by Ronald Steck in partnership with the trainer.
The curtain will fall on Hollywood Dayton’s fifth season on Saturday night (December 29). The power packed 14-race card will feature the track’s final $18,500 Open Pace for male pacers, a full nine horse field with recent winners Granite and My Hero Ron assigned outside post positions. The track will also present their annual Top Driver and Top Trainer awards to Jeremy Smith, who won his first local dash derby, and Virgil Morgan Jr., who captured his third seasonal conditioner’s title.
(With files from Dayton)