Four-year-old trotting mares blew up the toteboard at Miami Valley on Tuesday (March 9) in the $25,000 championship leg of the Ray Paver Sr. Memorial Series.
Miss Smead was the first to reach the wire in 1:55.3. The daughter of Guccio was followed across the line by fellow four-year-old mares Susie D, Swan Fashion, Just For Us and Deswanslittlelorie. The series was open to trotters of either sex that were non-winners of four races or $40,000 lifetime at the nomination deadline.
Driver Don Eash also owns and trains Miss Smead, who was winning for the third time in 2021 and increased her career earnings to $62,284. Miss Smead returned a $17 win mutual and combined with Susie D kicked back a $189.80 exacta. Swan Fashion completed a 50-cent trifecta worth $424.05; while a 10-cent superfecta with Just For Us paid a whopping $409.68.
An elite field of eight, with combined earnings over $3 million, contested a $21,000 Open Trot on the same program. Workinitonbroadway, making his first start for the new connections of owner James Fleming and trainer-driver Jason Brewer, was the upset winner in a career best clocking of 1:53.4. The five-year-old son of Broadway Hall, sent off at 12-1 odds, upset other recent Open winners Its A Herbie, Sweet Mr Pinetucky and favoured Jeffery P.
It took Brewer three-eighths of the mile to gain the lead, but once he got it Workinitonbroadway was in complete charge. Jeffery P assumed command from last week’s winner I Know My Chip at the :28 first quarter, then yielded to Workinitonbroadway long before the field reached the half in :56.4.
When three-quarters was completed in 1:24.4, I Know My Chip had moved outside to pressure the winner, with Jeffery P in the pocket and Its A Herbie well positioned in the second-over slot in the outer flow. Its A Herbie made a race of it in the stretch but couldn’t get past the winner’s wheels before the finish line was reached. Sweet Mr Pinetucky rallied from fifth along the pylons to garner the show dough.
An $18,000 Open II Trot was captured by Shake It Mary in 1:55.3 over Voyage To Paris and Merci Monsieur As. The five-year-old daughter of Dontyouforgetit, who won two preliminary legs of the recently completed Howard Beissinger Memorial Medley at Miami Valley, was impressive winning for the fifth time in eight 2021 tries. Shake It Mary is owned by the Rushcreek Stables and is trained by Sherif Cunmulaj. Dan Noble sat in the sulky.
Racing resumes Friday (March 12) and Saturday (March 13) at Miami Valley with 4:05 p.m. (EST) post times.
(Miami Valley)