Driver Dan Noble, whose stellar sulky career was chronicled on Saturday in the Dayton Daily News, was the star of the Opening Day show at Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Monday afternoon.
The 34-year-old, a fourth-generation reins-man who hails from nearby Xenia, copped six of the 14 races on the five-eighths mile oval’s initial card of the season.
Noble’s opening six-pack gives him first-call in the early going of the local Dash Derby, but others will try to close the gap on the second session on the Tuesday (Sept. 12) matinee program that begins at 2:15 p.m.
Defending champ Josh Sutton fashioned his own hat-trick on Monday, while Tyler Smith scored a driving double.
Noble got the first of his half-dozen trips to the winner’s circle when he guided Gun Show to a 1:54.4 tally for trainer Dustin Arledge in the second race, returning $4.80 for a $2 win ticket. The popular catch driver’s other five scores came from five other different training stables, making the feat even more impressive.
His successes included Rocks Noble Artist (1:55.4, trainer B. J. Roberts, $8.60), Showdown At Sun Up (1:54.2, Bill Dailey, $9.60), Karlee Sue (1:54, Clarence Foulk, $5.80), Turbo Mach (1:54.2, Brian Georges, $4.40) and Luvyatothemoon (1:56.3, Timothy Lane, $9.60).
The fastest trotter of the day was Rock N Stien, who won a $10,000 conditioned trot in 1:56.2 for driver Peter Wrenn.
On-track handle was ten percent higher than Opening Day 2016, while total handle including the export signal was up a whopping 40 percent year-over-year.
(Hollywood Dayton Raceway)