Lebanon, OH — Following an outstanding 2019 season in Pennsylvania and along the East Coast, Windsong Leo crossed the border into Ohio on Saturday night (Jan. 18) to take on the Midwest’s best pacers in Miami Valley’s $25,000 Open I Pace.  The result was another win, the 8-year-old’s fourth straight and 17th in his last 31 starts.

Windsong Leo extends his win streak to four capturing the $25,000 Open I at Miami Valley in 1:53.2. Conrad Photo.

Driver Chris Page was aboard the even-money favorite, who was assigned an outside post off three straight stellar triumphs in the top class at The Meadows.  Unhurried early in the mile, Windsong Leo steadily advanced throughout the 1:53.2 score by collaring pacesetting Lifewithjohn (Ricky Macomber Jr.) around the final bend and comfortably holding off the late rushes of Granite (Jeremy Smith) and Beyond Delight (Trace Tetrick) through the stretch.

Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi and Phil Collura own the winner, a son of Jereme’s Jet who lifetime bankroll has swelled to $608,960.  The feature race win was one of five on the program for Page.

A $20,000 Open II Pace was captured by Shagnwiththedragon (John DeLong) over Gerardo (Kayne Kauffman) and I’m A Big Deal (Josh Sutton), also clocked in 1:53.2.  J.D. Perrin trains the 6-year-old Dragon Again gelding who is owned by his wife Tessa Perrin and Eim Racing.  He paid $17.20 to his backers.

Three divisions of the second leg of the Claim To Fame series for $20,000 male pacers also went postward, each for a purse of $22,500.

Winners were Pet Shark (Trevor Smith, 1:55.4, $5.60), Hereittiz (Trace Tetrick, 1:55, $9.20) and Ponderingjacksfame (Chris Page, 1:55, $3.00).

The three winners will be joined by the next six highest money winners in next Saturday’s $32,500 championship leg of the series.  Those remaining finalists are Winna Winna, Persistent Threat A, Monte Cristo, Ram N Desire, Cool Like That and JD’s Macca Lodge.