LEBANON, OH. – R Gauwitz Hanover, deftly handled by harness racing driver Chris Page, upset a full field of ten $20,000 claimers to capture the $35,000 final of this division's Claim To Fame series at Miami Valley on Saturday night (Jan. 27). Page sat patiently in third position along the pylons (fourth overall) through fractions of :26.3, :56 and 1:24.3 before seizing an opening around the final bend to swing three wide for the stretch drive. The 8-1 shot, owned and trained by Clarence Foulk, was much the best in the lane and exploded to a three-length victory in 1:53.1. Favored Dovuto Hanover (Trace Tetrick) finished second with M G Kid (Kayne Kauffman) benefitting from a pocket ride to grab the show dough.
The winner was one of seven of the finalists who had won a race in the eight preliminary heats leading up to the final. The only two-time preliminary winner was Prince Clyde, who finished fourth in the lucrative final for driver Jeremy Smith.
It was the 39th career victory for R Gauwitz Hanover, a 9-year-old gelding sired by Modern Art. The winner's share of the purse ballooned his lifetime bounty to $395,033.
Page also captured the next race, a co-featured $25,000 Open Handicap Pace clocked in 1:51.1. He guided pole sitter Angelo J Fra directly to the top in :26.2 over the sloppy track. With Feelnlikearockstar (John DeLong) unable to find a seat along the pylons and pressuring gallantly on the outside, the winner tripped the halfway beam in :54.3 and the three-quarter mile marker in 1:22.1. The 6-year-old The Panderosa gelding managed to tack on a closing :29 quarter to hold runnerup My Hero Ron (Tyler Smith) and show finisher Manhattan Beach (Trace Tetrick) at bay.
Kris Hinchcliff trains Angelo J Fra for the Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLc. It was his 20th triumph in just 86 lifetime starts and raised his earnings to $282,794.
The Sunday (Jan. 28) matinee at Miami Valley will feature a $24,000 Open Handicap Trot as well as the $40,000 championship final of the Claim To Fame series for $30,000 claimers. Post time is 2:05 p.m.
Gregg Keidel