Sectionline Bigry (Brett Miller) recorded his fifth straight on-the-board finish in five 2022 tries on Thursday (Feb. 17) at Miami Valley Raceway. The seven-year-old son of Pet Rock, one of Ohio’s most consistent performers over the past five years, captured the $26,000 Open I Pace in 1:51.1, topping Blank Stare (Tony Hall) and GD Western Joe (Chris Page) as the odds-on favourite.
Miller actually got the winner away last as the field raced to the :27.1 quarter-mile marker over a rain-soaked strip. Sectionline Bigry was moved into the third-over position in the outer flow during the second stanza but still trailed at the :56 halfway point. Finding himself still fifth as the class septet approached the 1:23.2 third teletimer, Miller guided his willing charge three-wide around the final bend and picked off every other hopeful, one by one, through the stretch.
The win was the 33rd lifetime for Sectionline Bigry and increased his bounty to $729,290. Steve Bauder trains the homebred for owner Harold Bauder.
My Hero Ron (Hall), another local favourite who has won over $1.1 million racing primarily in Ohio for many years, was triumphant in the $24,000 Open II. He beat favoured American Dreamer (Page) and YS Mathis (Dan Noble), leading wire-to-wire in 1:53. The 10-year-old Dan Dubeansky trainee is owned by Brian Witt and now sports 47 wins, 47 place finishes and 46 show placings in his illustrious 229 race career.
A pair of second leg divisions of the Claim To Fame Series for $30,000 horses was contested to determine the nine finalists for a $35,000 championship tilt next Thursday. Bluebird Recon (Trace Tetrick) narrowly defeated Bell I No (Josh Sutton) and Rockin Daddy O (Tyler Smith) in 1:51.1. Brian and Ira Wallach own the Tyler George-trained son of Net Ten Eom. Major Nemesis (Tetrick) was triumphant in the second split, giving leading Miami Valley driver Trace Tetrick and leading trainer Tyler George a Claim To Fame double.
The top nine money-winners in the series preliminaries who will match strides in the final are (in order of winnings): Major Nemesis, Levi, Bluebird Recon, Bell I No, Ubuntu, Fox Valley Hustler, Voracity, Rockin Daddy O and Hoosier Celebrity.
The next card of live racing at Miami Valley will be on Sunday afternoon with a 4:05 p.m. post time.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)