Little Rocket Man turned in another authoritative performance to take home top honours in the featured event of the evening, the $20,000 Open Pace, on Friday, April 23 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino.
With driver John DeLong in the bike, Little Rocket Man stopped the timer in 1:49.1 to record his fourth straight victory and remain undefeated in four starts this season. The 1:49.1 victory is also the fastest mile of the 2021 season through just 16 nights of live racing.
Leaving from post six in the abbreviated field of six, Little Rocket Man was unhurried from the gate and settled along the rail in fourth. LeWayne Miller sent Family Recipe away from the gate firing to grab the early lead through the opening panel in :26.3. As the field approached the half, Trace Tetrick had Beaumond Hanover out and on the attack to grab the lead through the half mile time in a snappy :53.4.
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).
Favoured Keystone Eureka bested Anthem and Coconut Beach to win Friday’s final of the Herb Coven, Jr. Memorial Series at Miami Valley. Her 1:52 clocking was a new lifetime best for the four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere mare owned by Miller Racing Stable and trained by Ryan Miller.
Trace Tetrick, Miami Valley’s leading driver by a wide margin, got away third during the opening :27.2 panel, then moved first up on the outside prior to the :55.1 midway point. Still second at the 1:23 third quarter station, Keystone Eureka was able to collar pacesetting Anthem halfway down the stretch and secure the Coven championship. Anthem did hold second with Coconut Beach a fast-closing third.
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Black Mamba AS added the $25,000 championship leg of the Howard Beissinger Memorial Medley trot series at 1-1/4 miles to her impressive resume on Friday, trotting gate to finish line in front in 2:25.2 in an effort that would have made Kobe Bryant proud.
“I knew she’d have a big shot,” exclaimed driver Tyler Smith. “Anette (Lorentzon, the trainer) keeps all her horses fit and sharp and the added quarter mile didn’t bother her or me a bit.” A six-year-old daughter of Lionhunter, Black Mamba AS recorded her 16th lifetime victory and boosted her career bounty to $342,912 with the score. She has finished on the board in 42 of her 77 trips behind the starting gate.