Dayton, OH — Beautiful Lather stalked the leader and held off a closing Papi Grad to take the Thursday (Nov. 6) feature at Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway.
A full field of 10 looked to capture the $17,000 distaff pace.
Beautiful Seaside (Trevor Smith) cleared to the top in a three-horse scramble for the early lead and crossed the opening quarter in a quick :26.2.
The competitors lined up in single file past the half in :55.4.
Naked On A Hill (Chris Page) came to the outside in the clubhouse turn, flushing Beautiful Lather (Sam Widger) and Papi Grad (Luke Hanners).
The three-quarters was paced in 1:23.2.
Papi Grad had to go three-wide in the final turn and Beautiful Seaside was the first to turn into the lane.
Beautiful Lather, off at 8-1, passed the leader in the final sixteenth of the mile and held off Papi Grad by a neck. Beautiful Seaside held on for third.
The winning time of 1:51.4 was a new lifetime mark for the 4-year-old Lather Up mare.
Beautiful Lather is conditioned by Chris McGuire for Johnny Stant.
In the night’s third race, a $13,000 non-winners of one trot, owner/driver Frode Fladen steered Muscle Maximus to a come-from-behind effort in a 15-1 upset.
A three-way scramble occurred for the control of the race, and MJs Major Tom (Hugh Beatty) was ahead of Gone In A Flash (Brett Miller) at the quarter in :28.
Those two briefly changed positions and then back again before the half-mile station in :57.4.
MJs Major Tom opened up some daylight and was four lengths clear of the first-over Starts With Love (Bruce Sturgeon) at the three-quarters in 1:27.
The eventual winner came from well back in the field of 10, closed the gap in mid-stretch, and pulled away by 2-1/2 lengths over another closer Dean’s Lucky Day (Chris Page) in 1:57.
The winning freshman son of Muscles Hill is trained by Rene Sejthen.
Sam Widger and Chris Page both finished the night with three trips to the Dayton Raceway winner’s circle.
Dayton Raceway returns to action on Friday (Nov. 7) afternoon with a 14-race card starting at 4 p.m.