Lebanon, OH – Victory Joe and Rockinpoppin each won their division of the ever-popular Nw10pm paces Monday night (Feb. 2) at Miami Valley Raceway.
Victory Joe got things going in the second race, leaving from post four in the $22,000 event and clearing briefly to the front. Floating out and waiting for the dust to settle was the co-favorite, Odds On Mad Hatter, as driver Luke Hanners waited for Victory Joe to clear and then brushed up to take the lead past the quarter in :28.1.
From there, Odds On Mad Hatter led the field past the half and three-quarters in :58 and 1:26.2 while Victory Joe took the pocket trip. A long first-up charge from 28-1 shot Barley A Lie stalled around the final turn as Victory Joe waited patiently for him to fade as Chris Page pulled the right line and began his stretch battle with the leader. Odds On Mad Hatter and Victory Joe dueled right down to the wire, with Victory Joe getting up by a neck in 1:54.1. Stars Over Sydney used a ground-saving three-hole trip to finish third.
The win was the third in the last five starts for Victory Joe and his seventh career win.
Rockinpoppin was on a speed mission as he took the co-featured second division in race 10. Starting from the ever treacherous post nine, Tyler Smith fired him off the wings of the gate and easily cleared to the front, opening up by four lengths as they passed the initial quarter in :26.3. As Rockinpoppin motored down the front side and past the stands for the first time, Courtship, the 3-5 favorite, pulled first-over to try and chase down the leader as they tripped the half timer in :55.
Heading down the backside, loose pocket-sitting Spiritshappyending, with first-over Courtship just to the outside and three-hole sitting Dragon Attack on his heels, was finally able to close up to the back of Rockinpoppin as the foursome scooted away by three lengths on the rest of the field. As they passed three quarters in 1:23.1, the race was on with four competitors now separated by just three lengths.
Turning for home, Spiritshappyending faded and Dragon Attack flipped up three wide off Courtship as it became a three-horse battle to the wire. Rockinpoppin was able to just stay up by a head at the wire as Dragon Attack finished second with Courtship back just a neck in third in a mile in 1:52.4.
For Rockinpoppin, it was his first win in the class since July, which is hard to believe since he had only been out of the money three times in his last 22 starts. If he wishes to repeat, it will be for new connections as he was claimed from the race by trainer Walter Haynes Jr.
Drivers Tyler Smith and David Miller each had a driving triple on the Monday night card, with Chris Page racking up another double.
Racing action returns Tuesday night (Feb. 3) at Miami Valley with a 4 p.m. post.