Miami Valley Raceway completed its sixth and most successful season on Monday (May 6) and crowned new winners in both the drivers and trainers dash derbies.
Brett Miller, in his first meet back in Ohio after an extended stay on the east coast’s biggest stages, copped the track’s driving title with 183 wins, good for $1,852,267 in purse earnings. His next closest rival during the 87-day meet was Dan Noble, who notched 156 victories, followed in the top five by Trace Tetrick (140), Chris Page (135) and Tyler Smith (93). Each of the top five reinsmen earned over $1.1 million in purses for the owners of the horses they drove.
Leading driver Brett Miller is congratulated in the winner’s circle on closing day at Miami Valley by racing operations manager Helen Carlo and race secretary Gregg Keidel.
On the training side, Ron Burke captured his first-ever dash title in Ohio. His 63 triumphs topped Virgil Morgan Jr. (47), Tyler George (40), Dan Noble (32) and Kayne Kauffman (30).
Ron Burke (third from left), pictured with Atlanta at Miami Valley Raceway on Monday, May 6, 2019.
A total of $14.2 million in purses were awarded, an average of over $160,000 per program.
Of the 1,192 races (an average of 13.7 races per card), 86 per cent featured full fields of eight horses or more going postward. Post 5 produced the most winners, as it usually does on a five-eighths mile oval. The 229 winners from the five-hole yielded a winning percentage of 19.2 per cent, approximately 5 per cent better than the four post positions closer to the pylons which all hovered around 14 per cent. Overall, post time favourites during the meet succeeded at a 41.44 per cent clip.
Miami Valley management and staff would like to take this opportunity to thank every owner, trainer, driver and caretaker who participated in racing at the track during 2019. We wish everyone continued success throughout the 2019 season and look forward to welcoming you back in January 2020.
(Miami Valley Raceway)