Velocity Lady (Brady Galliers) scorched the Miami Valley oval in 1:50.2 beating Ocean Music (Dan Noble) and Single Girl (Tyler Smith) in the $34,000 Mares Open Handicap on Thursday (April 27).
Velocity Lady, a six-year-old daughter of Bettors Delight, has returned as good as ever following a four-month layoff with wins in two of her last three distaff features, while looking to replicate her 2022 season when she won eight times and earned $133,265 for Galliers Racing and Look Ahead Racing.
Galliers got away sixth in the early going, advanced to third on the outside at the half and was second and pressuring the pacesetter Single Girl (Tyler Smith) at the three-quarters pole. A closing :27.4 quarter was enough to wear down Single Girl, who finished third, and hold off Ocean Music, who benefitted from a pocket ride to grab the place position. Mary Kat (Tony Hall) and Im Offngone N (Trevor Smith) finished in a dead heat for fourth.
The fourth and final $50,000 James K. Hackett Memorial was also contested on Thursday -- this one for the Ohio-sired sophomore pacing colts. Low Rider (Trace Tetrick) just edged Mossys Dragon (Brett Miller) and Dynamite Dylan (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) to claim the championship tilt in 1:50.4.
Low Rider conserved energy early, getting away in fourth from his advantageous inside draw. Just past the opening :26.3 panel, however, the son of Downbytheseaside started a prolonged march towards the front. Tetrick had Low Rider lapped on to Dynamite Dylan at the head of the stretch and had just enough left to collar the pacesetter, who faded to third, and hold off Mossys Dragon for a narrow photo finish ‘nose’ triumph.
Tim Lane conditions the winner for the partnership of Jame Stambaugh, Alan Keith and Milton Leeman. The victory was Low Rider’s third in five seasonal starts in which she has already banked just under $50,000.
The final week of the Miami Valley season will include 4 p.m. starts on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; and then the 2023 finale, which will include the first legs of all four Ohio Sires Stakes series as well as the $100,000 Pace Baby Pace Invitational, honouring the late Pacey Mindlin.
(Miami Valley Raceway)