Omyheart and driver Skip DeMull had a dream cover trip to the winner's circle in Friday's $14,000 Open Trot at Northville Downs.
The four-year-old Dontyouforgetit gelding, who won a pair of Open events in May, was victorious in 1:57.4, a new season's best time.
After early leader Empire Earl N (Winter Asher-Stalbaum) set the opening tempo in :28 to the quarter and :58.3 to the half, Hail Caesar (Greg Bateson) took over on the first-up grind carrying the eventual winner, Omyheart, into contention to the top of the stretch. Omyheart stormed home in the center of the track to win going away by 3-1/4 lengths over nearest rival Holton (David Lake), last week’s winner.
Omyheart earned his 17th career victory in just his 32nd lifetime start lifting his earnings over the $100,000 mark. He is trained by Jason Hanna, who co-owns with Kim Haver.
On a side note, seven winners on the 13-race program established new lifetime marks over the fast half-mile oval with only one winning for its first time.
Northville Downs will race its next live program on Saturday, June 11. The regular Friday-Saturday schedule will resume the following weekend (June 17-18). First race post time remains 7:30 p.m. each night, with only five live race cards remaining in the spring meet that ends the weekend of June 24-25.
(With files from Northville Downs)