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Oak Grove, KY…May 7, 2024…Ayr Pioneer GB (Soulofthematter) teamed up with driver-trainer Tony Dinges to put the icing on a record day of harness racing at Oak Grove Racing and Gaming on Monday, May 6.
With the sunset less than two minutes away, Dinges took Dein Spriggs’ Ayr Pioneer GB around the Oak Grove oval in 1:55.3 to win a tight photo in a “bang-bang” finish in the United States Harness Drivers Club(USHDC) pace.
The nine-year-old Great Britain bred gelding led at every call by taking command from his six post just before the :27.3 opener and withstood a fierce challenge from the pocket sitting She’s A Live Wire, with Peter Kleinhans in the bike, the final 5/16s of the journey to score by a head off subsequent panels of :57.1 and 1:26 with the wire coming “just at the right time!”
Stun Gun was third for Shae Vandervort, just a length away after closing fastest of all, with She’s A Fireball next for Cassidy Whitton. Mach Diesel picked up the nickel for Jill Brown.
In a post race interview, owner Spriggs related, “he had been a tough luck horse since arriving at Oak Grove and Tony (trainer Dinges) was trying different strategies. Sometimes a horse gets live cover…sometimes he has to go first up…sometimes he draws a bad post and is too far back.
“So, Tony decided on yet another strategy and it worked out this time. The wire came just at the right time.”
AYR PIONEER GB REPLAY
The win was the first of the season in 10 starts and pushed his career bounty to $92,621—$74,960 on U.S. soil since his arrival from Great Britain.
The winner rewarded his faithful with a $39.50 dividend for their $2 investment.
A track maintenance issue delayed the scheduled 3:00 p.m. post time close to 4:30 but, nonetheless, the Stakes laden program resulted in a record handle of $522,939.11 with the United States Harness Driving Club (USHDC) closing out the festivities on this record day.
The next USHDC performance is scheduled for May 13 with the Club preparing to honor the Volunteer Equine Advocates with a donation for their tireless work on behalf of abused and neglected horses.
Since its inception, the USHDC has donated over $300,000 to worthy causes with the generosity of their membership committing all driving earnings in these amateur events earmarked for charitable causes.
For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.
by John Berry, for the USHDC
