On Monday, April 8 at Miami Valley Raceway, trainer Chris Beaver advanced five of the six sophomore trotting fillies that he entered to the $15,000 James K. Hackett Memorial eliminations.
The $40,000 final will take place next week.
Beaver, a trotting specialist, won both $15,000 elims of this particular Hackett division. The Hackett is a series of four races that feature top Ohio-sired trotting and pacing colts and fillies whom are prepping for the upcoming Ohio Sires Stakes season.
Pure Chance, victorious at Miami Valley on April 8, 2019.
Pure Chance, a winner of almost $70,000 at age two, took a new lifetime mark in the first elimination by coasting to a 1:57.2 score for driver Aaron Merriman. Well Im Fancy (who was driven by Chris Page), one of three Ron Burke-trained fillies who also advanced to the final, finished second. Stone In Love (Ron Wrenn Jr.) finished third. Ms Carnoustie (Dan Noble) also qualified for the championship tilt via her fourth-place finish.
Bellas Rose Power (Merriman) was ultra impressive in the second split, as she trotted to a 1:55 triumph over Aunt Rose (Wrenn Jr.) and Back Splash (Brett Miller). All three of the top finishers are from the powerful Beaver barn. Buckeye Starlet (Trace Tetrick) qualified to advance, as did So Romantic (Ken Holliday), the lone non-Beaver or Burke trainee who moved forward on the basis of being the fastest fifth-place finisher.
Bellas Rose Power, victorious at Miami Valley on April 8, 2019.
Both Pure Chance and Bellas Rose Power are daughters of Triumphant Caviar, an Ohio stallion that Beaver has had considerable success with campaigning his sons and daughters. The final will be comprised of three daughters of Triumphant Caviar, two by Uncle Peter, two by Wishing Stone and one each by Manofmanymissions and My MVP.
The Tuesday (April 9) matinee at Miami Valley will include the Hackett eliminations for trotting colts, while the pacing fillies and colts will head postward on Friday and Saturday nights, respectively.
(Miami Valley Raceway)