At age 11 with over $1.85 million banked, Dancin Yankee continues to be competitive against the top pacers at Miami Valley as the Ron Burke trainee captured the $24,000 Open I Pace on Saturday, Feb. 16.
Driver Chris Page fired Dancin Yankee off the gate and obtained the lead prior to the :27.3 quarter. Maintaining a comfortable pace to the :55.3 half, Dancin Yankee soon withstood pressure from Cruise Patrol at the third quarter, timed in 1:23, and then by Granite through the stretch but held firm through the wire to stop the clock in 1:50.4.
Granite and Whatchyastartinat finished in a dead-heat for second just a head behind the winner. My Buddy Ninkster and My Hero Ron earned the final two paychecks in the field of eight.
Page also captured the $20,000 Open II earlier in the card when guiding Swapportunity to a 1:52 win over Statement Made A and Sammy The Bull N.
Swapportunity was claimed from Miami Valley’s Claim To Fame Series for $30,000 horses three weeks ago and finished second in the $37,500 series final last week before stepping into open company. The seven-year-old son of Mach Three is now owned by LaSalle Investments LLC and is a resident of the Becky Zubkoff Stable.
Finalists for the Bill Dailey Memorial Medley late-closer were also determined on the Saturday card. Manny, driven by Tim Tetrick, topped The Dark Shadow and Rising To The Top in the first $17,500 division, timed in 1:52.2. Randy Smith trains the winner for his wife Jessica, who owns the six-year-old son of American Ideal.
Dakota Roadster and Mike Oosting copped the second split in 1:52, besting Account Rollover and Angelo J Fra. Perry Smith owns and trains the 7-year-old son of Duneside Perch.
The nine horses with the highest combined earnings in the first two preliminary legs will gather again Saturday, Feb. 23 to determine a champion in a mile-and-a-quarter test for a $25,000 purse. In order of earnings the hopefuls are The Dark Shadow, Manny, Dakota Roadster, Hunchie, Account Rollover, Duel Of Truth, Angelo J Fra, Southern Flight and Rising To The Top.
(With files from Miami Valley)