Gotmoneyinmypocket put money in owners Jerry Zosel and Kathy Ratcliff’s pockets Saturday evening at Miami Valley Raceway capturing the $35,000 James K. Hackett Memorial championship in impressive fashion.
The three-year-old Ohio-sired son of Feelin Friskie set sail immediately for driver Kayne Kauffman, settling in briefly in fourth despite drawing an outside post position. Realizing the fractions were relatively soft, Kauffman moved Gotmoneyinmypocket to the outside shortly after the :28.2 opening quarter and was lapped on to the leader at the :58.2 halfway point.
Immediately after crossing over to the lead a host of other Buckeye-breds mounted challenges that looked promising, but in the end the winner pulled away to a 3-1/2 length triumph in 1:53.1, including a final panel in :28 flat. Bill Dailey trains Gotmoneyinmypocket, who now sports an $88,600 bankroll in just a dozen lifetime starts.
Friskie Cruiser (Ryan Stahl), the runner-up in last year’s $225,000 Ohio Sires Stakes championship for freshman pacers, finished second with Whataboy (Chris Page) completing the Hackett final trifecta.
Most of the Hackett finalists are expected back in action next Saturday (May 7) at Miami Valley when it hosts first round Ohio Sires Stakes action for both sophomore pacers and trotters.
A compact field of six open pacers chased a $20,000 purse earlier on the program with Fancy Creek Elusiv (Peter Wrenn) scoring a narrow 1:52 victory over Gallipolis (Josh Sutton) and Can He Go (Dan Noble). Despite needing to race three-wide around the first bend to reach the top in a :26.3 opening quarter, Wrenn was able to coast through subsequent splits of :55 and 1:22.2 before withstanding the stout challenges he got in the stretch.
Todd Rosenberg owns the winning Billy Farmer trainee, who margin of victory was a neck over Gallipolis and a half-length over Can He Go. Fancy Creek Elusiv, a six-year-old Sportsmaster gelding who surpassed the half-million dollar earnings plateau in his last start, now has 25 lifetime triumphs.
In addition to the excitement that first leg Ohio Sires Stakes action will bring to Miami Valley Raceway on next Friday and Saturday nights, anticipation is building for a pair of $100,000 Grand Circuit Stakes on Sunday afternoon (May 8), closing day of the 2016 meet.
The $100,000 Sam ‘Chip’ Noble Memorial, for the best older pacing mares in North America, is expected to attract Katie Said, Yagonnakissmeornot, Colors A Virgin and Safe From Terror, among others.
Katie Said has won two straight $25,000 Mares Opens at The Meadowlands; Yagonnakissmeornot captured the rich Blue Chip Matchmaker final at Yonkers in her last start: Breeder’s Crown champion Colors A Virgin paced a monstrous back half to finish third in her seasonal opener on Friday night at Hoosier Park; and Safe From Terror will enter the fray as the local hope following back-to-back wins in Miami Valley’s weekly distaff feature.
The $100,000 Miami Valley Distaff Trot has an impressive list of nominees as well, including Smokinmombo, Daylon Miracle, Hannelore Hanover, Churita and 2015 Ohio Horse of the Year Like Old Times.
Stakes trainers are advised that the draw schedule for closing weekend at Miami Valley is: Tuesday (box closes at 9 a.m.) for Friday; and a double draw Wednesday (box closes at 9 a.m.) for both Saturday and Sunday. Online entries are encouraged, or call 513-934-7792.
(Miami Valley Raceway)