Over the years, Jessica Roegner has not raced often at Miami Valley Raceway because of its distance from her base in northern Ohio. This season, though, the trainer has made the lengthy journey a little more frequently — and made the most of it.
Last month, Roegner notched her 1,000th career win at Miami Valley, where she has 19 starts this season after totalling only two in previous years. On Wednesday at Miami Valley, she will look to capture the $35,000 USD Ray Paver Sr. Memorial conditioned trot series final with Bryant Bros S, who posted a victory and a second in the event’s two preliminary rounds.
A four-year-old stallion, Bryant Bros S joined Roegner’s stable in November after being purchased for $131,944 by Paul O’Neil at the Standardbred Horse Sale’s mixed sale. The son of Varenne-Rugiada Dei Rex, out of the family of U.S. Hall of Famers Country Kay Sue and CR Kay Suzie, was a regular on the Grand Circuit at ages two and three for trainer Ake Svanstedt. He won a division of the International Stallion in 2023 and earned a paycheque in 11 of 15 Grand Circuit appearances.
Bryant Bros S raced twice last year for Roegner before getting time off ahead of his return in the Paver Memorial. He won his seasonal debut in 1:56.3 on April 16 and finished second to Truly Unbelievable, the Paver Memorial final morning line favourite at 5-2, last week. Bryant Bros S will leave from post seven with driver Jeremy Smith in Wednesday’s nine-horse field. He is 5-1 on the morning line.
“We only raced him twice last year before shutting him down and he’s trained back a lot stronger this year,” said Roegner. “So far, he’s really impressed me. Even last week when he got beat, they were racing right down to the wire.
“I wish he could have drawn better, but he seems real strong and he trained real well [on Monday]. He’s acting good. He just needs some luck.”
Bryant Bros S has hit the board in three of his four races for Roegner, earning just over $25,000. For his career, he has 11 top three finishes in 25 starts, with three victories and $168,658 in earnings.
“He looked like he would be able to get around a [half-mile track], so with us being by Northfield, we really liked him,” Roegner said about buying Bryant Bros S. “Even when Svanstedt had him, I think he’s a little better when he’s not on the front. He was good when they kind of left with him and could sit and then come late. He can get himself into position and he wants to stay trotting. For Northfield, you need that. So that was why we really liked him. He could leave and he stayed at it.”
Despite the long-distance commute to Miami Valley, Roegner said the opportunity to race in the Paver Memorial, which is for non-winners of four pari-mutuel races or $40,000 USD lifetime, was too good to pass up. The preliminary divisions went for purses of $29,167 apiece.
“It’s three hours and 40 minutes for us to get to Miami Valley, so it’s hard, but with that series, how do you not put him in there?” said Roegner. “For us, that’s going to be a good opportunity to get Paul some of his money back. I definitely think he fits. Hopefully, our trip works out.”
As for Roegner’s 1,000th career victory, it was something of a pleasant surprise.
“I knew it was coming up, but I’d actually forgotten about it,” said Roegner, who enjoyed her third million-dollar season in 2024, highlighted by Soft Shot’s victory in the Jugette at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio. “Then on the way home, I started to think that it was the 1,000th win. It caught me by surprise, but it was really awesome.”
The victory came by a nose with Back In My Day, a six-year-old male pacer Roegner co-owns with Rebecca Sugg, in a career-best 1:50.1 in the Open II.
“He’s such a cool horse,” said Roegner. “He’s always coming at the wire, but a lot of times he doesn’t get the job done. But he did it for me that night. He was like, all right Mom, we’ve got you.”
She added with a laugh, “He knew, even if I didn’t know.”
Racing begins at 4 p.m. at Miami Valley Raceway. For Wednesday’s complete entries, click here.
(USTA)