Andre L and D A Mcdreamy both won by the smallest possible margin as they captured the $30,137 non-winners-of-10 claiming co-features at Miami Valley Raceway on Monday, April 20.
In the first event, Johnny Smash (Luke Hanners) fired out for the early lead, crossing over quickly to take command. Andre L settled in the pocket for Brett Miller as the rest of the field lined up single file through an opening quarter of :27.2. As they neared the stands for the first time, Victory Joe (Trevor Smith) pulled first-over from fifth and grinded closer to the leaders, getting within a neck of Andre L in second as Johnny Smash led them past the half in :56.
Johnny Smash continued on the lead up the backside with Victory Joe closing in on the outside and 6-5 favourite Andre L waiting patiently in the pocket to three-quarters in 1:23.4. As they turned for home, Johnny Smash drifted off the rail, which allowed Andre L to attack from the inside, closing steadily all the way to the wire and getting up to win it by a nose in 1:52.2. Victory Joe held off a host of others to finish third.
For Andre L, the Heather France trainee, the win was his third in his last six starts and fifth on the year from 12 outings. The four-year-old son of Lather Up-Mcvita Bella, owned by Todd's Auto, is now 13-for-48 lifetime. He paid $4.40 to win.
In the second co-feature, Odds On Mad Hatter (Luke Hanners) left alertly from the rail and assumed command of the field by the opening turn, with D A Mcdreamy securing the pocket for Brett Miller and Scares Me (David Miller) settling in third to the quarter in :27.1. The outer flow was underway before the field passed the toteboard, and Scares Me was flushed out first-over from third with Five (Kayne Kauffman) hot on his heels to the half in :55.3.
Odds On Mad Hatter continued to show the way to three-quarters in 1:23 with 3-5 favourite Scares Me to his outside and D A Mcdreamy in the pocket. Odds On Mad Hatter and Scares Me battled around the final turn D A Mcdreamy trapped in the two-hole and Five to his outside. But Five began to tire as the swung into the stretch, opening a door for D A Mcdreamy, who swung from the pylons to three-wide in a blink of an eye. Scares Me finally wore down Odds On Mad Hatter and took the lead late, but D A Mcdreamy was flying on the outside and got up to win by a short nose in 1:52. Odds On Mad Hatter held off Ybnormal (Jason Beattie) for third.
D A Mcdreamy tallied his second win of the year in nine outings and first since moving to the Jason Irwin barn from the northeast. The five-year-old son of Mcwicked-Sports Beauty, owned by Robert Weinstein, is now seven-for-60 lifetime. He returned $18.60 at the windows.
Tyler Smith had a driving triple on the 14- race program. Three drivers had doubles: Brett Miller, Sam Widger and Luke Hanners. Irwin sent out two winners.
Racing action returns to Miami Valley on Tuesday with a 4 p.m. first post.
(With files from Miami Valley Raceway; photo of Andre L winning on April 20)