Class hike no problem for Pace Baby Pace

LEBANON, OH – Pace Baby Pace (Chris Page) returned to the harness racing featured $28,000 Mares Open Pace class following four starts in high condition races on Tuesday (Feb. 8) at Miami Valley and promptly proved that she can still hang with the big girls.

The 6-year-old daughter of Sweet Lou was a head better than Rose Run Vision (Trevor Smith), who had won two straight and three of her last four at the top level, in 1:53.3 over a track listed sloppy.

Rose Run Vision was sent directly to the top of the field from her assigned outside post, stopping the initial teletimer in :27.

Marloe Hanover (Brett Miller) secured the garden spot with Tiny Bit Of Sky (Jason Beattie) defending her inside start in third. Page was content to follow the leaders in sixth through middle fractions of :55.3 and 1:23.4 but had Pace Baby Pace in the outer flow around the final bend before storming through the lane to just catch the pacesetter in the last few steps. Marloe Hanover saved third, Tiny Bit Of Sky was fourth and Sandy Sue (Trace Tetrick) picked up the final check.

It was the 26th career success for Pace Baby Pace in 84 trips behind the starting gate. The favorite of Miami Valley handicapper Pacey “The Wiz” Mindlin, whose signature slogan the mare with the notable wide white blaze was named after, is nearing $400,000 in purse earnings. She is trained by Ron Burke, bred and owned by Burke Racing, LLC and Weaver Bruscemi, LLC and paid $6.60 to win.

The Tuesday program also included three second leg divisions of $20,000 male pacers competing in a Claim To Fame Series for $22,500 purses. Winners were Hal N Sammy (Josh Sutton, 1:54.3, $41.80), Highlandbeachycove (Dan Noble, 1:53, $3.20) and Tick’s A Yankin (Tetrick, 1:53, $3.40).

Joining the three winners in next week’s lucrative $35,000 final will be other top series money earners Major Bucks, American Virgin, Evergreen Elite, Caviart Stetson, Zen Da Ballykeel, Rock Solid Image and Armabluechipboy N.

Dan Noble scored a Grand Slam with four wins on the card, while leading driver Trace Tetrick notched a hat trick with three. Racing resumes Wednesday afternoon with a 4:05 post time.