Closing day feature won in 11 length romp

LEBANON, OH. – Miami Valley Raceway closed the books on its ninth season of live harness racing on Saturday (May 7), concluding with a card that included four $55,000 Ohio Sires Stakes divisions for sophomore colts (separate story) and a $30,000 Open Trot.

Before a packed house on Kentucky Derby Day, Action Uncle (Brett Miller) dominated the featured Open Trot beating Flemsteen (Aaron Merriman) by eleven lengths with A Fancy Face (Austin Hanners) crossing the finish line in third.

Action Uncle caught a cozy pocket spot in the early going, but as the odds-on favorite chose to move to the point by a length in the second quarter.  He extended the lead to two lengths three-quarters of the way, then to six lengths by the head of the stretch.  With the outcome already determined, the winner trotted confidently through the wire with little, if any, urging from Miller.

It was the first win in about a year and a half for the five-year-old horse by Uncle Peter due to a broken coffin bone at the end of his three-year-old season.  He missed his entire four-year-old season while on the mend.

ACTION UNCLE REPLAY

The quick clocking was just three-fifths of a second off the track trotting record for five-year-olds and up, taken by Insomniac (Brady Galliers) in 2019.  It was Action Uncle’s third start back from the injury and established a new lifetime mark for the Virgil Morgan Jr. trainee.  Unfortunately, it was confirmed by the track veterinarian that Action Uncle was lame after the race and may have suffered another injury.

His owners are Carl Howard, Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills.  A dominating juvenile performer, Action Uncle is approaching $600,000 in career earnings.

For complete race results, click here.

From Miami Valley Raceway