Driver Chris Page, currently second to Josh Sutton in the local driver’s standings, won both the $10,000 Open Trot and the $10,000 Open Pace on Saturday night at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.
In addition, the red-hot 31-year-old reinsman got his picture taken four other times in the winner’s circle to garner half of the wins during the 12-race program.
Mr Web Page was Page’s mount in the featured trot, using a second-over trip to beat late-closing Touchmymuscles (Dan Noble) and Southwind Nazareth (Brad Hanners) in 1:56.2. Although the winner’s seasonal bankroll of $65,938 was the largest in the full field, the public sent him off at 5-1. Trained by Jim Arledge Jr. and owned by the Helping Hands Stables, the win was his first at Dayton in five tries against Open company, but the ninth triumph of a very good six-year-old season.
Valentino, making his first recent start in Open company, was still sent off as the prohibitive 1-5 favourite on the merits of a front-running 1:51 score in the top condition class a week ago, the first start for new owner Rockstar Meadows and new trainer Brian Brown. Page sent the seven-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover right to the front and cruised through fractions of :27.1, :55.4 and 1:24.2 before the entire eight-horse field bunched up around the final turn. Lucky Lime (Randy Tharps) rallied from seventh to finish second when the pair crossed the wire together in 1:52.2. Sunday Poker (Tyler Smith) was third. With the victory, Valentino increased his lifetime bounty to $798,632.
(Dayton)