The favourites prevailed in the three divisions for the second prelim of the Dr. Dan Farwick Memorial Series at Miami Valley on Tuesday afternoon (March 26), but only one scored in the co-featured second prelim for the Omar Hiteman Memorial Series.
Red Rose Swan took the quickest Farwick split, topping The Lionking AS and Cruzen Cassi in 1:55. The winning four-year-old daughter of Swan For All lowered her lifetime best for owners Brian Dean and Jeremy Eash in the process. Trainer LeWayne Miller drove.
The other two Farwick splits were won by Broadway Mojo, driven by Chris Page, and Sesame, driven by Brett Miller, in 1:56.3. Broadway Mojo, a four-year-old by Broadway Hall, beat P C Foreign Affair and Showboat. Ron Burke trains the winner for the Watson Stable.
Sesame bested Air Assault and Lion Safari AS. Trainer Chris Beaver co-owns the four-year-old daughter of Triumphant Caviar with Steven Zeehandelar.
Next week the nine finalists in the Farwick Series, determined by earnings in the two prelims, will compete for a $27,500 championship purse. They are (in order): Red Rose Swan, Sesame, Air Assault, Broadway Mojo, Missprimetimemel, Vatanna, Peggy Sue, P C Foreign Affair and The Lion King AS.
Heavily-favoured Dealers Table posted a 1:53 win in the first Hiteman Memorial division, besting Parklane Knight and Always A Fiji. The three-year-old American Ideal colt, dispatched at 1-9, remains undefeated in three starts. Trainer Jeff Cullipher co-owns with Pollack Racing LLC and Josh Sutton sat in the sulky.
Dashing To Da Wire sped to win the second Hiteman split, beating Jacks Major and favoured Doctor Jimmy in 1:52.3, the fastest of the divisions. Larry Finn trains the three-year-old Charley Barley colt for owner Brian Witt and Tyler Smith steered the $19.20 winner.
Sweet Cruiser, trained by Ron Burke, produced an even bigger upset in the final division, topping DLs Big Elvis and Prince Sawyer in 1:55. The Yankee Cruiser colt returned $26.20 when winning for the second time.
The $20,000 Hiteman Memorial final, for horses that started the series as non-winners of two races or $20,000 lifetime, will be next Tuesday, April 2. Finalists are: Dealers Table, DLs Big Elvis, Dashing To Da Wire, Sweet Cruiser, Doctor Jimmy, Jacks Major, Parklane Knight, Skyway Three Ball and Smilenmyles.
(with files from Miami Valley Raceway)