Lebanon, OH – Lightly raced Sly Little Fox (driver Jordan Ross), the lone mare in an accomplished field of eight open trotters, triumphed in her initial start in the $30,000 Open Trot at Miami Valley on Wednesday (Jan. 11).

Sly Little Fox beat the boys in Miami Valley’s $30,000 Open Trot on Wednesday. Conrad photo

The five-year-old daughter of Swan For All lowered her lifetime mark to 1:53.3 with the neck victory over favored Angel Nation (Trace Tetrick) while a determined Lane Of Stone (Austin Hanners) was lapped on third.

Ross, an up-and-coming 25-year-old reinsman, left alertly from the inside post position before settling in third through the first quarter in :27.2. Anxious to get underway as the field past the halfway juncture in :56.2, moved to first-over position as soon as a parked out adversary began to fade down the backstretch. Sly Little Fox gained steadily around the final bend and was lapped on to frontrunner Angel Nation at the 1:24.4 third stanze station.

A :28.4 final quarter was just enough to nail Angel Nation by a neck in the shadow of the finish line.
Mike Hollenback trains Sly Little Fox for owner Bambi Fox, who bred and raised the winner in Kentucky. She has won exactly half of her 30 lifetime starts and now has banked $163,750.

Business at the claim box was brisk as ten of the thirty entrants in the first leg of a Claim To Fame Series for $12,500 pacing horses and geldings went home to new stables. Winners in first leg action were Iwontdothatagain (Tetrick, 1:54, $5.20), Sergeant Highway (Josh Sutton, 1:54.3, $8.60) and Crazy Luke Duke (Luke Hanners, 1:55.3, $10.80).

Racing resumes Thursday afternoon at Miami Valley Raceway, when the track will also launch its BetMVG live sports betting operation. Post time is 4 p.m.