Despite a soft front half, Its A Herbie came charging down the center of the track to grab the lead in the closing strides and snag the winner's share of the $26,000 purse in Monday’s Open Trot at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
Sweet Mr Pinetucky bolted for the lead from Post 5 while Its A Herbie and driver Verlin Yoder took back to race fourth in the quintet. Sweet Mr Pinetucky carved sensible clips of :27.1, :57.1 and 1:25.1 as the heat began building into the final quarter.
Its A Herbie started his charge around Perlucky while Stride The Hill awaited clearance from the pocket ride moving into the stretch, where the field clumped. Stride The Hill found a seam to the inside but Its A Herbie had the momentum and collared the pocket-pouncer by a half length in a 1:53.4 mile. Heath Bar closed from last for third and Sweet Mr Pinetucky held fourth.
Verlin Yoder owns Its A Herbie, a seven-year-old gelding by Here Comes Herbie who won his 22nd race from 73 starts and has now earned $611,477. He paid $4.16 to win.
The co-featured $18,000 Open 2 Trot went postward earlier in the card and saw Bluebird Deacon, in rein to driver Atlee Bender, power home to a 1:54.4 win as the even-money favourite.
Bender took back with the Erv Miller trainee to race third through a :27.4 first quarter and waited to make his attack while Pilgrims Image strolled through middle fractions of :56.4 and 1:25.3. Bender gave Bluebird Deacon his cue around the final turn and the six-year-old Swan For All gelding came charging strongly to claim victory in his seasonal bow by three-quarters of a length. Yo Lucky Moni took third and Just For Us was fourth.
Bluebird Deacon has now won 12 races from 66 starts and banked $241,820. Hannah Bender owns the gelding, who paid $4 to win.
The win was one of three on the card for conditioner Erv Miller, who also won with Fox Valley Leah (1:52.4 winning mile; $18.42 to win) and
Live harness racing resumes at Oak Grove on Sunday, June 11 since the race card scheduled for Tuesday, June 6 was cancelled and postponed to the end of the meet on Monday, July 10. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 3 p.m.
(Oak Grove Racing)