Recent shipper finally gets home in yearly finale

DAYTON, OH – It took four tries to find the harness racing winner’s circle since shipping from the east coast to Ohio, but Classicist (Captaintreacherous) broke through on Thursday (Dec. 29) at Hollywood Dayton Raceway with a triumph in the $24,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace.

Benefitting from a pocket ride behind co-favorite Alexa Skye (Mitch Cushing), driver Chris Page popped the pocket at the head of the stretch and collared the pacesetter in 1:51.4 by a head.  Rose Run Vision (Brad Ferguson) was a creditable show finisher in the weekly feature race for the distaff set.

Classicist paid $6.40 for her first local triumph.  It was the fifth seasonal victory for the four-year-old mare and the 13th of her career.  The winner now has a lifetime bankroll of $332,952, over $164,000 of that amount earned in 2022.

Eric Good of Denton, Maryland, owns Classicist and entrusted the training to the sport’s leading trainer Ron Burke when he shipped her to Ohio.

CLASSICIST REPLAY

Racing resumes on Friday at Hollywood Dayton, the 69th and final program of a successful season.

Features on the card include a $24,000 Auld Lang Syne Open Pace, the $12,000 Lamar Moody Memorial for $15,000 claimers, a Good Old Boys pace for bottom claimers—which includes a pair of 14-year-olds making their final career starts after earning over over $370,000 each, and a “must win” proposition of the $1 Pick 8 wager with an enticing carryover of $22,322.

Post time is 4:00 p.m.

For complete race results, click here.

From Hollywood Dayton Raceway