Seasoned veterans get the new year off to stellar start

LEBANON, OH. –  A pair of seasoned harness racing veterans got the new year off to a stellar start at Miami Valley on Sunday (Jan. 8) capturing the featured and co-featured races.

Let It Ride N (Rock N Roll Heaven, Brett Miller) opened his 10-year-old season with a sharp 1:50.4 score in the initial $30,000 Open Pace; while 11-year-old My Hero Ron (Josh Sutton) captured a $22,000 co-feature for the highest condition horses (N/W of $12,500 last 4 starts) in southwest Ohio.

Let It Ride N took full advantage of an inside draw and fronted the featured field the entire trip.

Miller posted fractions of :27, :55.1 and 1:23 before tacking on a final :27.4 panel to seal the deal.  Longshot Saddle Up (Brandon Bates) came flying through the stretch to finish second, while Robert Again (Sutton) garnered the show dough.

LET IT RIDE N REPLAY

Mike Hitchcock conditions the sone of Rock N Roll Heaven for William Hartt and the Enzed Racing Stable.  The New Zealand bred winner won 13 times in 2022 and banked $256,576,  He now sports 41 career victories with $733,068.

My Hero Ron (Well Said), a lifetime winner of $1,270,897, made $100,846 in 2022–his eighth consecutive season with six figure earnings. Also starting from the No. 1 post position, the son of Well Said topped favored HP Napoleon (Chris Page) and Bet Mine (Miller) in the 1:52.2 mile, returning $8 to his backers after a two-hole trip had him ready to pounce to victory in the stretch.

MY HERO RON REPLAY

Dan Dubeansky trains My Hero Ron for owner Brian Witt.  The classy gelding will be returning to face Open company following his 51st visit to a winner’s circle.

Driver Trace Tetrick notched a Grand Slam on the Sunday program with reinsmen Tyler Smith, Sam Widger, Sutton and Miller all posting a pair of wins.

Wagering has been brisk during the first week of the Miami Valley season.  With an average handle after five programs of $561,456 the track is well ahead of its corresponding numbers from a year ago–when the average handle was $460,140 after the first five cards.

There will be two enticing carryovers when racing resumes on Monday (Jan. 9) with another 14-race offering.  The first 50-cent Pick 4, which starts in Race 4, will feature a $1,945 carryover. The daily 50-cent Pick 5, which starts in Race 10, will start with a $2,636 carryover.

Post time on Miami Valley’s regular Sunday through Thursday schedule is always 4 p.m.

For complete race results, click here.

From Miami Valley Raceway