The 2026 Miami Valley race meet came to a close on Saturday (May 2) afternoon, headlined by the $135,135 Grade III Pacey Mindlin Invite as well as eight divisions, two of each sex/gait, of three-year-old Ohio Sires Stakes.
The $135,135 Pacey "The Wizard" Mindlin Memorial Invitation closed out the card with a star-studded field of 10 pacers including Ardens Ace N, a regular Open winner from Hoosier Park; Lou Hill, on a two race win streak from the winners over at Pocono; Carbine, a regular at MVG and last weeks Open winner; Prince Hal Hanover, a millionaire and last years Milstein and Adios winner and Meadowlands Pace runner up, making his four year old debut; Surreal Ideal, defending a 12 race win streak; For Once Inmy Life, coming in on a four race win streak with back to back wins in the Plainridge Open; Little Rocket Man, a multi-millionaire and last years defending champion; Charlie May; another multi-millionaire and MVG regular; Bythemissal, a multi-millionaire and too-many-to-name Grade I stake winner; and Oakwood Heymiki Ir, an Irish import and multi-Open winner at MVG.
As the wings of the Mike Woebkenberg starting gate folded, Lou Hill was the fastest of all, crossing over quickly to take early command. Carbine slid behind him with Ardens Ace N in third. Up on the outside, Prince Hal Hanover sat patiently waiting for things to settle and then pressed on around the turn towards the front. Surreal Ideal got away in fifth with For Once Inmy Life sixth. Little Rocket Man was parked out in seventh, Oakwood Heymiki Ir inside eighth, Charlie May parked out ninth and Bythemissal rounded out the field in last.
The opening quarter came and went in a sharp :26.3. Lou Hill had the lead by a nose as Prince Hal Hanover continued to press on and cleared for the lead near the grandstands. As they neared the half, Ardens Ace N was flushed out first over by Surreal Ideal with the still parked out Little Rocket Man and Charlie May on his back. Prince Hal Hanover led them past a half in :54.1. As they turned up the backside, Prince Hal Hanover continued to show the way with Lou Hill in second. Ardens Ace N slowly closed in from third with Carbine to his inside and Surreal Ideal perfectly placed second over. The order remained the same as they passed three quarters in 1:22.1. Around the final turn, Prince Hal Hanover still had the lead with Lou Hill waiting for racing room in second. Ardens Ace N started to fade, the first over trip taking its toll, and Surreal Ideal flipped three wide to begin his attack and quest for 13 in a row. At the top of the stretch, Prince Hal Hanover led by a length while Lou Hill angled out of the pocket and Surreal Ideal kept on closing from the outside. In deep stretch, Prince Hal Hanover continued to defend his lead while Lou Hill just kept getting closer. At the wire, Prince Hal Hanover held on by a neck to win the Grade III Pacey Mindlin Memorial in his four-year-old debut in 1:50.1. Lou Hill was a game second while Surreal Ideal, his 12 race win streak snapped, held to finish third.
For the Dr Ian Moore trained Prince Hal Hanover, the triumph was his 11th lifetime win in just 32 starts, moving his career sum to $1,667,329.
The first of two divisions of three-year-old filly trotters went to the Nancy Takter trained Godusa. Before the wings of the gate folded, Godusa's main two rivals in the race, Charlies Moni and Speedbewithyou both went off stride. With the main challengers erased, David Miller was able to place Godusa into a pocket trip, pulling first over just before three quarters and battling the final turn before easing away in the stretch to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:55.4. Sarahs Mission was second with Seven Lick Range coming home third.
In the second division, Aaron Merriman and Faster Horses found themselves in a familiar position for Merriman, on the front and in control throughout. The only hiccup was having to navigate two geese that found themselves on the rail and four hole in the middle of the backstretch during the third quarter. Aaron and the rest of the skilled reinsmen expertly navigated the geese obstacle course without any ill effects as Aaron and Faster Horses went on to win by 1-1/4 lengths in a lifetime best of 1:55.4. Ranger Rosie was second while Rose Run Brooke rounded out the trifecta.
In the first division of three-year-old filly pacers, Merriman had Vanna By The River (Cory Stratton) on the front and in control, but she had to hold off a host of closers as challengers were coming at her from all sides as she defeated a hard charging Rodeo Dancer by a nose a two others by a head and neck in winning in a lifetime mark crushing 1:53.4. Shesafirewoman finished third. The victory was just Vanna By The River's second lifetime win.
In the second division for three-year-old filly pacers, Tyler Smith and 26-1 longshot Sassy By The Sea (Herman Hagerman) sat fourth, patiently waiting and saving ground. Around the final turn, she popped out and got shot out of a cannon to cruise by everyone in the stretch and win by a measured length in a lifetime best of 1:52.1. Seaside Charm was second and Kb Wrecking Ball, last week's Hackett winner, finished third. Sassy By The Sea is now two-for-two in 2026.
In the first division of the three-year-old trotting colts, Rose Run Banker (Ron Burke) and Chris Page settled in third and used the cover provided by David Miller and Grape Crush to draft along for three quarters, eventually popping out in the stretch and going right on by to win by 1-1/4 lengths in a new lifetime mark of 1:53.3. Grape Crush held second while Water Slide ended up third. Rose Run Banker is now three-for-three on the year after sweeping the Hackett Memorial leg and final.
In the second division of three-year-old colt trotters, Chris Lems and heavy favourite Tom Largo (Scott Cox) went coast to coast without ever being challenged and cruise home a winner by three lengths in 1:54.4. Max The Mighty was second and Rose Run Boom was third. Last year's Ohio Sires Stakes runner up and Buckeye Stallion Series champion Tom Largo looks to take aim at the top series in 2026.
In the first division for three-year-old colt pacers, Trevor Smith and Pet Project (Kim Dailey) would work out a perfect pocket trip behind Backninebar and Chris Page, popping out on the exit of the final turn to slowly reel in Backninebar and beat him by a neck in the final strides in 1:53.1. Fire Run rallied up for third. The victory was the fifth lifetime win in just ten starts for Pet Project.
In the second division of the three-year-old colt pacers, Austin Hanners and Prolific Blend (Todd Luther) drafted along in the pocket behind Hackett Memorial winner Crocodile Station through a stiff half of :54.3. After Yacht Rock tired from his first over journey, Prolific Blend popped out of the two hole at the top of the stretch and blew right on by Crocodile Station to win by three in 1:51.2. Caillou Hanover would finish third. The win was the third lifetime win for Prolific Blend.
Last but certainly not least, the final two Opens of the meet were also contested, and swept by Aaron Merriman with Meadows invaders Timeisonmyside (Tim Twaddle) and Lou Grant (Rick Hercules) taking the Open II and Open I respectively. Timeisonmyside used a quarter pole move to brush to the front and never look back, winning the Open II in 1:50.1. In the Open I, Aaron used the exact same move with Lou Grant to take the final Open of 2026 in 1:50.4.
Aaron Merriman led all drivers on the closing card with five wins. Leading driver David Miller made three trips to the winners' circle.
Speaking of the leading driver, David Miller (161) returned home and won his first Miami Valley drivers title, defeating Chris Page (153) by eight wins. During the meet, D. Miller became the all-time winningest driver by wins and earnings as he continues to add to that record. The rest of the top ten in order were: Brett Miller (117), Luke Hanners (115), Tyler Smith (93), Trace Tetrick (79), Trevor Smith (77), Kayne Kauffman (51), Austin Hanners (48) and Jeremy Smith (33).
Ron Burke (79) won the trainers title by 29 wins over Virgil Morgan, Jr (50). The rest of the top ten in order were: Heather France (48), Steve Carter (43), Mike Hitchcock (35), Adam Short (22), Anette Lorentzon & Deb Swartz (20), Ken Rucker & Antonia Storer (19).
(with files from Miami Valley)