Strong afternoon card at Miami Valley

LEBANON, OH. – Three races shared the  harness racing spotlight at Miami Valley Raceway on Tuesday (Feb. 18) afternoon as the five-eighths mile oval hosted a $24,000 Open Trot, the $20,000 championship leg of the Robert J. Brown Memorial trotting series and the $15,000 championship of the Survivor Series for $5000 claiming mares.

Majestic Player A (Brett Miller), a recent import from Down Under, surged past Party At The Banks (Chris Page) midstretch and held for a narrow 1:54.2 victory. Peggy Sue (Brady Galliers) benefitted from a pocket ride and grabbed the show dough.

Junior Haynes trains the 6-year-old winner for Jeffrey Fought, Brian Carsey and Casey Myers.

Mary Mag Delene (Sandy Beatty) sat patiently in fifth in the early going of the Robert J. Brown Memorial final for non-winners of two or $20,000 trotters. After the halfway juncture was passed in :57.3 the 5-year-old daughter of Dejarmbro was angled to the outside. Moved up to second-over in fourth at the 1:27.1 three quarters, Beatty and Mary Mag Delene had the most trot in the lane, topping Stone Cold Blue (Tetrick) and stablemate B Threeseven (Brett Miller) in 1:57.4.

"I thought the other half of my entry had a little better chance!" exclaimed an excited Beatty in the winner's circle, but this is a good looking mare who seems to be at the top of her game right now." Unfortunately, Beatty's other entrant (B Threeseven) made a break nearing the three quarters marker which eliminated his chances of winning although he recovered nicely to come back for third.

Beatty co-owns Mary Mag Delene with Mazing Racing Stable. Her clocking was a new lifetime best.

The ten mares who lined up for the Survivor Series final had survived two elimination heats to reduce the field from a group of 38 hopefuls. When the gate swung open it was Rock The Baby and driver Josh Sutton who sprinted to the front and then throttled back to a :28.3 opening panel.

When favored Nice Trip (Tetrick) came calling early Sutton decided it was his mare's race to win or lose and pressed forward to a :56.4 halfway split. With Nice Trip still pressing on the outside, Rock The Baby still had the advantage as the pair sped past the three quarter station in 1:25.2. In the stretch the 5-year-old Rockin Image lass was able to pull away from the competition and triumphed handily in 1:54.4.

Rock The Baby was claimed for $6000 from the first elimination heat of the Survivor Series by trainer Larry Finn and his partner Chad Stone. After a runnerup finish in the second elimination and the victory in the final, she has now produced a nifty $11,250 return on investment in two weeks .

From Miami Valley Raceway