A classy field of Open trotters with $4,603,627 in combined earnings aligned for the $25,000 Open Trot at Miami Valley on Tuesday (April 27), but they were no match for Mission Accepted.
The six-year-old son of Manofmanymissions won his third-straight top trot, despite being assigned post 9 and being parked three-wide around the entire first turn.
Icanflylikeanangel, the eventual runner-up, left the gate quickly and stopped the first quarter teletimer in :27. Mission Accepted and driver Chris Page were caught widest of all as a number of hopefuls in the 10-horse field also sped off the gate vying for good early position. Finally reaching the front just before crossing under the wire the first time, Mission Accepted stopped the midway timer in :56.3 and clipped three-quarters in 1:24.2. A :29 final panel enabled the winner to hold off pocket sitting Icanflylikeanangel and show finisher Lane Of Stone, who rallied from the rear of the field.
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After a two month absence, Its A Herbie returned to the Miami Valley winner’s circle following Tuesday (April 6) afternoon’s $20,000 Open Trot.
Using the winner’s customary come-from-behind tactic, driver LeWayne Miller rallied him from sixth, and last, at the half and fourth at the top of the stretch to edge Lane Of Stone in 1:52.4. The clocking marked lifetime best for the five-year-old son Here Comes Herbie. Shake It Mary earned the show dough in the compact field.
Verlin Yoder owns Its A Herbie, who now has 17 victories and eclipsed the half-million earnings plateau with the win.
Ohio-sired trotting colts went postward in two $15,000 elimination divisions of the annual James K. Hackett Memorial late-closer, which kicks off the Buckeye stakes season. The $40,000 championship leg will be raced next Tuesday (April 13).
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