Holiday Shopper, driven by Jason Brewer, won her second consecutive Fillies & Mares Open Pace at Miami Valley on Saturday night, just nipping Aqua Artist (Chris Page) in the final stride in 1:55.1. Everymileamemory (Pat Berry) got the show dough in the $9,500 feature race.
Owned by Drs. Robert and Randall Van Hutchison, the winning mare is trained by Jeff Brewer, who is off to an impressive start at the new five-eighths mile oval. The father-son Brewer tandem also won the night's first race, a $4,000 distaff claiming event with Brookletssugarland.
Blind Spot Hanover (Tony Hall) won the secondary feature besting Bazooka Terror (Berry) and Sectionline Yankee (Page) in a $7,000 conditioned event for mares. The 1:55.2 clocking gave the Roy Murphy Jr.-trained winner her second triumph of 2014 and 18th of her career. She is owned by Tommy Householder.
A pair of conditioned claiming races also produced quick miles as Quiteaworkofart (Kayne Kauffman) topped Real Future (Page) and Shady Maple Bullet (Rod Allums Jr.) in 1:55.1. The $6,500 event was for non-winners of eight races who all carried $10,000 claiming tags. A similar race for non-winners of five with $8,000 claiming prices was won by Stealth Flight (Dan Noble) in 1:55.2 over Dragon Tattoo (Berry) and Say It Aint So (Tyler Smith).
A $7,000 trot produced a very tight 1:57.3 photo finish with Kaffir Kemp (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) nosing out Team Zordin (Noble) and Baby Blaze (Page), who was also lapped on the winner. For trainer Terry Deters, who just returned to Ohio after racing at Pompano Park in Florida for several years, it was his second success at Miami Valley in two tries. Michael Guest owns the five-year-old triumphant trotter.
In addition to Jason Brewer, Dan Noble and Kayne Kauffman also fashioned driving doubles on the 11-race program witness by a packed house in the new Miami Valley grandstand.
Through the first five cards at the new venue, favourites have won 39.6% of the time despite the fact the average number of starters has exceeded eight during difficult winter weather. The average win price, however, is a very healthy $14.56 after the first 53 races as four 50-1 plus longshots have also found their way to the winner's circle.
Racing resumes Sunday night (Feb. 16) featuring a $10,000 Open Pace. Post time is always 6:30 p.m.
(Miami Valley)