LEBANON, OH. – The $22,000 Open Trot at Miami Valley on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 14) produced a third different winner in the last three weeks when Walter White (Trace Tetrick) found room along the pylons to zoom past Dnieper (Jeremy Smith) and hit the wire first in 1:56.2. It was the 12th career win for the harness racing 5-year-old son of Cantab Hall and pushed him past the $300,000 lifetime earnings plateau. Run And Tell Pap (Jason Brewer) made a furious late rush to garner the show dough, while the pacesetter Final Breath (Dan Noble) faltered in the lane but held for fourth.
Walter White is owned by Robert Silberberg and trained by Jim Eaton. Off at 7-1 odds he returned $17 to his faithful. Combined with longshot Knieper, the exacta paid $97.20; and adding Run And Tell Pap boosted the $2 trifecta payoff to a handsome $738.20.
Four divisions of the second round of the "Survivor Series" for $5000 male pacers were also contested for $6000 purses. The top five finishers from each heat will return next Tuesday for a pair of final preliminary eliminations chasing $7500 purses. The top five from each of those elims will face off for a $20,000 championship purse on February 28.
Shakerattlenrock (Brady Galliers, $3.60 to win) copped the first division in 1:54.2, beating Hay Goodlooking, Cams Good Fortune, Hobbys Hobbit and Hall Of Terror. Mosh Pit (Kayne Kauffman, $9.80) bested Wilbur's Z Tam, Dukes Up, Stripe'n Star and Munndutch in 1:54.1. Amasa Al (Tyler Smith, $5.20) topped the third heat with a 1:54.4 mile, topping Real Future, Rock Of Luck, Final Retrieve and I Got My Wish. Jagger Blue Chip (Kayne Kauffman, $6.00) headed the final advancees with a 1:55 triumph over Ya Gotta Go, Grams Legacy, Ricky Tidwell and Volo.
Gregg Keidel