A pair of 7-1 shots captured championships of two Claim To Fame series finals at Miami Valley Raceway on the Monday matinee.
In the division for $8,000 trotters, Vicki All (Jason Brewer) proved the girls can beat the boys by grinding down Ima Gold Digger N (Jeremy Smith) and El Lobo Hall (Tyler Smith) in 1:59.1 over a moist track rated good.
Three races later, when the finalists among the $8,000 pacing mares went postward, As Seely Promised (Tyler Smith) used a similar overland journey to best Prosper (Simon Allard) and Another Temptation (Kayne Kauffman) by less than a length in 1:56.3.
Vicki All, who had finished second and third in two preliminary legs, trotted away in fifth through the :29 opening quarter, then launched a prolonged first-over attack the rest of the mile. Lapped on to leader Without A Clue at the :58.4 halfway point, Brewer kept his charge on even terms through a 1:27.2 third quarter clocking. When the tiring track and high winds began to take their toll, it was Vicki All who had the most left in the tank, managing to hold off closers Ima Gold Digger N and El Lobo Hall by 1-1/4 lengths in the stretch.
Jessica Markle purchased the five-year-old daughter of Valley Victor in November and entrusted the training to Jeff Johnson Jr. It was Vicki All’s 16th lifetime win and the winner’s share of the $13,400 purse increased her career earnings to $85,511. She paid $16.40 to win.
When the $8,000 distaff pacers went postward, As Seely Promised was also 7-1 on the toteboard. Driver Tyler Smith elected to float from the gate despite drawing the rail and was satisfied to get away fifth on the pylons. After a quarter was passed in a :28-second clip, he decided to send the nine-year-old mare on her way. Still fifth, but in the outer flow at the ;57.3 half, As Seely Promised stepped up her game and was second by just a nose at the 1:26.3 three-quarters. It took until the final strides to determine the winner of the stretch duel between As Seely Promised, Prosper and Another Temptation.
It was the 31st win for As Seely Promised and her half of the $14,000 purse booster her lifetime earnings to $172,336. She is owned by Keith Pippi and trained by Barry Langley.
With four wins on the program, Tyler Smith rocketed into fourth place in the local dash derby after 19 programs of the current 87-day meet. Kayne Kauffman, who had a ‘grand slam’ on Sunday afternoon, remains the leader followed by Trace Tetrick in second and Chris Page in third.
(Miami Valley Raceway)