Scares Me and Tells Super Star each took a split of the $30,137 conditioned claiming class at Miami Valley Raceway on Monday, March 23, albeit with very different methods and backing.
In the earlier co-feature in race three, Scares Me, the heavy 1-2 favourite, fired off the wings for driver Chris Page and quickly took command to lead the field past an opening quarter in :28.1. Facing no pressure until the backside, Scares Me led them through a half in :56.1, a well rated second quarter. As Scares Me pointed towards three-quarters, a first-over Stars Over Sydney (Austin Hanners) began to close in. Stars Over Sydney shortened the distance between them to within a half length near the three-quarters in 1:24.2, but from there on out it was nothing but Scares Me, who put the fear into the field, opening up and drawing away to win by 6-3/4 lengths in 1:52.1. Stars Over Sydney fought gamely to hold for second from a late moving Odds On Mad Hatter (Luke Hanners).
The victory was the fourth on the year in nine starts for Scares Me, who has won every other start since Jan. 27 for leading trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi and Knox Services. In order to repeat next week, the four-year-old Fear The Dragon-Dominican Hanover gelding will have to do it from a new barn as he was claimed tonight by Steve Carter.
Different tactics were used by the second featured conditioned claiming race winners, Tells Super Star and Trevor Smith. Sent off by the betting public at 53-1 in the 10th race, Tells Super Star was ducked off the wings from post three and settled in eighth. A battle ensued up front with horses two, three and four-wide at different points going to the quarter. As the field went past the opening quarter in :27.3, Dont Tell Rosa (Cameron McCown) finally cleared but was under immediate pressure from an outer flow that never saw the pylons, led by Rockinpoppin (David Miller). As the duo battled nose-to-nose to a half in :55, heavy 1-9 favourite Whatchagonnado (Chris Page) was trapped in the pocket while Tells Super Star was just moving into the outer flow, fourth-over.
As the field neared three quarters in 1:23.4, Dont Tell Rosa began paying for the early speed duel and called it a day, taking with him race favourite Whatchagonnado. Rockinpoppin cleared the lead in the final turn but was also under immediate pressure from Sinatra Hanover (Luke Hanners), who had gone three-wide around a second-over Checkers Legacy (Josiah Miller), dragging Tells Super Star along with him. At the top of the stretch, Rockinpoppin had stepped away by two lengths, but Tells Super Star was flying on the outside and got up to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.4. Rockinpoppin held for second while Checkers Legacy was third.
Tells Super Star made his 2026 Miami Valley debut a winning one and the triumph was his first win of the year in seven starts and his seventh victory lifetime. The five-year-old Tellitlikeitis-Bikini Star gelding was perfectly placed by Trevor Smith for trainer Gerald Miller and owner Therl Hensley.
David Miller and Tyler Smith led all drivers with a triple each..
Miami Valley resumes racing on Tuesday, March 24 at 4 p.m.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway; photo of Scares Me winning on March 23)