The Dr. Dan Farwick Memorial Series, one of seven “Lebanon Legends” late closers at Miami Valley Raceway this year, kicked off on Wednesday with three $17,500 divisions.
Trotters with less than six pari-mutuel wins or under $60,000 in lifetime earnings were eligible to nominate to the series.
Quickest winner was Roysons Punch (Brett Miller, $28.40), who triumphed in 1:54.2 over Wixx Hanover (Chad Clark) and stablemate L Dees Patrick (Anthony Macdonald).
A four-year-old son of Chapter Seven, the winner was a $100,000 winner as a juvenile in New York but earned his initial 2022 victory after starting the season in conditioned events at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He is owned by Thestable Roysons Punch fractional investment group and trained by Jason McGinnis.
Stay Close ($8.40), another McGinnis trainee owned by Thestable Stay Close Group, captured the first split with Macdonald in the sulky. The five-year-old Father Patrick gelding topped favoured Magical Muscle Man (Trace Tetrick) and Justa Hintof Spice (Miller) in 1:55.1. It was the third seasonal success for Stay Close. The winner has already raced at The Meadows, The Meadowlands, Woodbine Mohawk Park and now Miami Valley in 2022.
The third and final split of the Farwick resulted in another upset win when Fox Valley Britzka (Tetrick) avoided a plethora of breaking horses in the early going to secure a 1:57.4 win and pay $31.60. Heavily favoured Sly Little Fox (Miller) recovered from a break in the first quarter to rally for a place finish, while early pacesetter SM Count On Me held on to salvage a show showing. Ross Leonard trains Fox Valley Britzka for owner Michael Roche.
The four-year-old son of Whom Shall I Fear won for the sixth time in his career with lifetime earnings increasing to $53,020.
The final live card of the week at Miami Valley will be presented on Thursday (March 24) with a 4:05 p.m. start.
(Miami Valley Raceway)