Benefitting greatly from an early first quarter speed duel between the two favourites, All Terror paced strongest through the lane to upset the $14,500 Fillies and Mares Open Pace on Friday at Miami Valley Raceway.
The five-year-old Western Terror mare, owned by Mike Foote, became the seventh different winner of the weekly distaff feature in the seven weeks the track has been open for its second season.
Five of the seven combatants sprung alertly when the starting gate opened its wings. While All Terror was one of them, driver Kayne Kauffman found himself sandwiched between horses going into the first turn and made the winning decision to back off first and settle in fifth at the pylons. With inside leavers My Hare Lady (Kyle Ater) and Rev Me Up (Chris Page) still sprinting, favourites Betterluvnexttime (Josh Sutton) and Igottafeelinfran (Dan Noble) found themselves three- and four-wide, respectively, through a wicked open eighth of a mile.
Betterluvnexttime cleared to the lead just past the :26.4 opening quarter, but other than a few seconds of a breather inside Igottafeelinfran found herself first-over the remainder of the mile. After a pedestrian second quarter in :57 the pace quickened with the third quarter clocked in 1:24.3. It was then that Kauffman eased All Terror out to second-over position around the final turn before flipping three-wide in the stretch and cruising to a three-quarter length triumph. Metro Shopping (Tyler Smith) and Hoponit (Jeremy Smith), who rode the pylons most of the mile, found room in deep stretch to garner the place and show positions.
The winner now sports three wins and three seconds in seven starts at Miami Valley, but this was her first tally against open competition.
With 10 different drivers winning on the 12-race Friday card, the dash standings remain very tight at the top of the list.
Josh Sutton has forged to the head of the class, but only by the slimmest of margins. His 56 victories through the first 27 nights of the meet is one better than Dan Noble, who has notched 55 wins, followed closely by defending champion Kayne Kauffman with 54. They are followed by Tyler Smith 30, Kyle Ater 28, Jeremy Smith 27, Randy Tharps and Chris Page with 21 each, Jeff Nisonger 13, Greg Grismore and Brad Hanners with 11 each.
(Miami Valley Raceway)