The non-winners of 10 to be claimed highlighted the Monday (Feb. 2) card at Miami Valley Raceway with two divisions won by Victory Joe and Rockinpoppin.
Victory Joe (pictured above) got things going early in the second race, leaving from post four and clearing briefly to the front. Floating out and waiting for the dust to settle was the co-favourite Odds On Mad Hatter as Luke Hanners waited for Victory Joe to clear and then brushed up to take the lead past the quarter in 28.1. From there, Odds On Mad Hatter led the field past the half and three quarter in 58 and 1:26.2 while Victory Joe took the pocket trip. A long first up charge from 28-1 shot Barely A Lie stalled around the final turn as Victory Joe waited patiently for him to fade as Chris Page pulled the right line and began his stretch battle with the leader.
Odds On Mad Hatter and Victory Joe dueled right down to the wire with Victory Joe getting up by a neck in 1:54.1. Stars Over Sydney used a ground saving three hole trip to finish third.
Trained by Jason Irwin, Victory Joe has won three of his last five. The four-year-old Roll With Joe-Flibbertigibbet gelding is owned by Robert Weinstein of Boca Raton, FL.
Rockinpoppin was on a speed mission as he took the co-featured second division in race 10. Starting from the ever treacherous post nine, Tyler Smith fired him off the wings of the gate and easily cleared to the front, opening up by four lengths as they passed the initial quarter in 26.3. As Rockinpoppin motored down the front side and past the stands for the first time, Courtship, the 3-5 favourite pulled first-over to try and chase down the leader as they tripped the half timer in 55. Heading down the backside, loose pocket sitting Spiritshappyending, with first over Courtship just to the outside and three hole sitting Dragon Attack on his heels, was finally able to close up to the back of Rockinpoppin as foresome scooted away by three lengths on the rest of the field. As they passed three quarters in 1:23.1, the race was on with four competitors now separated by just three lengths.
Turning for home, Spiritshappyending faded and Dragon Attack flipped up three wide off Courtship as it became a three horse battle to the wire. Rockinpoppin was able to just stay up by a head at the wire as Dragon Attack finished second with Courtship back just a neck in third in a mile in 1:52.4.
The victory was the first of 2026 for Rockinpoppin who made his final start for the time-being in the Jeff Smith barn with the five-year-old Pet Rock-Noseitall gelding being claimed by trainer Walter Haynes Jr.
Drivers Tyler Smith and David Miller each had a driving triple on the Monday night card, with Chris Page racking up another double.
Racing action returns Tuesday (Feb. 3) night at Miami Valley with a 4 p.m. post.
(With files from Miami Valley)