Noone To Depend On captured the $24,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace, while Barleys Angel was triumphant in the $22,500 championship leg of the Herb Coven Jr. Memorial late-closer at Miami Valley Raceway on Friday night (March 16).
Noone To Depend On, making her second start after a five-week quarantine vacation, gave trainer/driver Kayne Kauffman his third victory of the night, topping Rockin Racer (Jared Finn) and Colorful Sky (Aaron Merriman) in 1:52.4. The five-year-old daughter of Santanna Blue Chip, purchased by owners Stephen Herrick and Mark Bogen at the 2016 Harrisburg Mixed Sale, was positioned fourth along the pylons in the early going, then benefitted from a second-over trip in the outer flow from the halfway point to the head of the lane. When Kauffman tipped her three-wide for the stretch drive, she responded well by wearing down pacesetting Rockin Racer and holding off Colorful Sky. The fractions for the feature race were :26.1, :55.2, 1:23.2 and 1:52.4.
The winner returned $14.60 to those that were depending on her. The exacta kicked back a robust $171.60 and the 50-cent trifecta paid a handsome $144.15.
Driver Josh Sutton took full advantage of his innermost post position draw with Barleys Angel in the Coven Memorial final. The four-year-old Charley Barley mare enjoyed a pocket ride behind eventual runner-up Just Zip It (Keith Crawford) before zooming to the 1:54 score in the final strides. Favourite Keene Santanna (Kyle Ater) had to settle for third in the event for distaff non-winners of four pari-mutuel races or $40,000.
Joe Putnam trains Barleys Angel for the Shining MPRB Stable. She paid $24.80 for her third success in 31 tries, boosting her lifetime bankroll to $64.000.
The Saturday night (March 17) St. Patrick’s Day program at Miami Valley will feature a 10-horse $25,000 Open I Pace as well as the $22,500 championship of the George Williams Memorial — one of nine annual series at Miami Valley that recognize and remember “Lebanon Legends” of the past.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)