Sweet Mr Pinetucky returned to the top of the trotting ranks at Miami Valley Raceway on Tuesday (March 3) afternoon, winning the $24,000 Open in 1:54.4.
It was the third win in the weekly feature from eight starts, increasing the son of Pinetucky’s seasonal earnings to $55,550 in two months work.
When Black Mamba As made a break trying to leave from an outer post, the remainder of the contestants settled in program order early. Leaving from the pylons, driver Trace Tetrick and Sweet Mr Pinetucky took command and remained in charge throughout the mile. After coasting through fractions of :28.3, :57.4 and 1:26, the winning Lester Raber trainee had enough left in the tank to kick home in :28.4 and win comfortably. Peggy Sue proved next best, while Northern Skyway finished third.
A pair of $15,000 second-leg divisions in the Ray Paver Sr. Memorial trotting series were also contested to determine the finalists for the $25,000 championship tilt next Tuesday (March 10). Driver Chris Page swept both splits in identical 1:57.2 clockings.
Feel Invincible As captured the first division by topping Mary Mag Delene and Serene Hall. The four-year-old daughter of Broadway Hall, trained by Anette Lorentzon, was the only nominee to win in both preliminary legs.
Just A Passenger, who skipped the first leg, made the most of his series debut by handily downing Quick N Balanced and B Threeseven. The four-year-old son of Cayenne Turbo is trained by Ron Burke for Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.
The top-10 money winners in the Paver Memorial preliminaries were Feel Invincible As, B Threeseven, Just A Passenger, Serene Hall, Quick N Balanced, Mary Mag Delene, Forget It Im Crazy, The Rave, Stonebridge Symba and Wrapped In Rubies.
For Chris Page, the Paver Memorial wins were just two of six visits to the winner’s circle on the day, following a five-win night at Northfield Park on Monday. His other victories were with Midnight Gambol (1:56.3, $12.80), Ilooklikeanallstar (1:57.1, $10.80), Sports Lightning (1:55.1, $22.80) and Mykindachip (1:52.3, $21.60).
The 36-year-old blue-and-white clad reinsman is a solid third in the Miami Valley dash derby with 57 wins, trailing only Brett Miller and Trace Tetrick who are waging a spirited back-and-forth battle for the No. 1 spot.
(Miami Valley Raceway)