Oak Grove, KY — Driver Marcus Miller overcame a wide draw with 9-5 second choice Vel Cinderella to take the top and then hold firm to the finish for a 1:52.4 victory in the featured $16,000 conditioned pace on Tuesday (April 7) at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel.
Miller planted Vel Cinderella on the point out of post 8 after a :27.2 first quarter, pocketing Strangerinthenight (driven by Atlee Bender). The tempo slowed as Vel Cinderella settled on the lead, prompting even-money favorite Wild Bill Wyatt (Brandon Bates) to venture off the pegs from seventh and push uncovered towards the leader marching to a :57.3 half. Wild Bill Wyatt drew to equal terms briefly with Vel Cinderella but started to tire on the rim after three-quarters in 1:25.3. Vel Cinderella spun for home under a firm hold from Miller and reached for the finish to score by three-quarters of a length.
Flossy Hill (Wyatt Avenatti), off at 26-1, rallied from second-over for second while Strangerinthenight settled for third and Wild Bill Wyatt checked in fourth.
Erv Miller trains Vel Cinderella, a 4-year-old mare by Keystone Velocity, for owner Final Turn. Vel Cinderella won her second race from three starts this season and her ninth from 27 starts in her career, earning $180,824. She paid $5.90 to win.
Live racing at Oak Grove resumes on Monday (April 13) and features a carryover into the Late Pick-5 sequence, covering the last five races on the card, worth $1,122.61. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:10 p.m. (CDT).