Driver Brett Miller placed himself in some rare company by surpassing the $90 million mark in purse earnings on Tuesday (Feb. 11) at Miami Valley Raceway.
The 46-year-old Miller, who returned to his native Ohio roots at the beginning of 2019 after a decade stint as one of the top drivers on the East Coast, is enjoying another banner season in 2020. Following up on a 518-win campaign in his first year on the Miami Valley, Scioto Downs and Hollywood Dayton circuit, Brett has won 51 times already this year. The cousin of Hall Of Famer David Miller has exceeded $5 million in purse earnings in nine of the last 10 years.
Brett Miller is congratulated by Miami Valley Racing Operations Manager Helen Carlo and Race Secretary Gregg Keidel on reaching both the 8,500 wins and $90,000,000 earnings plateaus on Tuesday afternoon. (Conrad photo)
Miller’s landmark score came in a conditioned/claiming event behind Motor City Man, owned by Jeannette Conrad and trained by Greg Henderson. Three races later Brett was back in the winner’s circle having guided Majestic Player A to victory in the featured $24,000 Open Handicap Trot.
Majestic Player A's win by open lengths in 1:53.2 represents the quickest trotting mile of the current meet which began, on Jan. 3. It was the first time that Miller has sat behind the six-year-old gelded son of Majestic Son and he was duly impressed.
“He looked good on paper, but raced even better than it looked,” Miller said. “I didn’t rush him out of the gate, but when I asked him for ‘go’, he had plenty. The new owners have themselves a real nice horse.”
Walter White set the early pace, hitting the first two timing stations in :28.1 and :57.2 before the winner took charge just prior to the 1:25.1 three-quarter clocking.
Jeffrey Fought, Brian Carsey and Casey Myers purchased Majestic Player A from abroad after noticing his 15 victories out of 29 starts Down Under. Walter Haynes Jr. trains Majestic Player A, who surpassed $100,000 in converted U.S. dollars with this score.
In other Tuesday matinee action, three divisions of the second leg of the R. J. Brown trotting late closer decided the finalists for a $20,000 championship tilt next week. Winners of the $12,000 splits were The Bombean (Tyler Smith, 1:59.3, $6.00), Mary Mag Delene (Hugh Beatty, 1:58, $6.40) and B Three Seven (Beatty, 1:57.2, $13.40).
Others who also qualified for the final are This Man Raps, Ms Toni, LaDolfina, Avalon, DC Mr Dominator and Stone Cold Blue. Pier Hanover and Docs Swan Song are also eligible should any of the top nine money winners in the series fail to enter the final.
A pair of final elimination heats in the Survivor Series for $5,000 claiming mares were also contested. Nice Trip, driven by Jason Brewer, captured the first division in 1:54.2 with Allspeedallthetime, steered by Brett Miller, victorious in the other, clocked in 1:55.4.
Joining that pair in the $15,000 series championship on Feb. 18 will be Rock The Baby, Over Speeding, Desires Lady, Jetstream Johnnie, Love Love Me Do, American Sweet Pea, Lucky Seven Oflodi and Endeavors Ladyluck.
(Miami Valley)