Lebanon, OH — Four $75,000 James K. Hackett finals, for Ohio-sired 3-year-olds, took center stage on Thursday night (April 23) at Miami Valley Raceway.
Pacing fillies kicked off the show in race 2. Last week’s elimination winners left the gate hard with Seaside Shuffle making the front and KB Wrecking Ball settling in the pocket through a :27.2 opening quarter. Shacarri, last year’s 2-year-old Ohio Sires Stakes champion, pulled from third just past the quarter to move up and take command just before the :56.2 half mile. Turning towards the backside, Shacarri led the way with Seaside Shuffle in second before 3-5 favorite KB Wrecking Ball was flushed out first-over by Mingle In Dingle as the two drafted up alongside the leaders. As they passed three-quarters in 1:24.1, Shacarri’s lead was down to a nose as KB Wrecking Ball drew even. Seaside Shuffle was in the pocket and Mingle In Dingle was sitting second-over. The two leaders battled stride for stride around the final corner with KB Wrecking Ball nosing ahead as they turned for home. In the stretch, KB Wrecking Ball drew clear under a Luke Hanners hand drive to win by 1-3/4 lengths in a lifetime best 1:52. Mingle In Dingle wound up second with Shacarri finishing third.
For KB Wrecking Ball, a Deb Swartz trainee who did not race at 2, it was her sixth win in a row and sixth lifetime win in her first seven starts.
In race 4, filly trotters took the stage. As the wings of the gate folded, Charlies Moni and Chris Lems left alertly for the early lead as Faster Horses slid into the pocket. Divvy It Up settled in third with Speedbewithyou and Rose Run Brooke looking for a spot but forced to go the long way around as Charlies Moni led them to the quarter in :28. As they passed the stands for the first time, even-money favorite Charlies Moni continued to show the way with Speedbewithyou right to her outside, Faster Horses in the pocket and Rose Run Brooke second-over. The order remained the same as they passed the half in :56. Down the backside, Charlies Moni remained steady on the front while the long journeys of Speedbewithyou and Rose Run Brooke took their toll as the two began to fade. As they passed three-quarters in 1:24, Charlies Moni continued to look comfortable on the front. Faster Horses remained in the pocket waiting to pounce with Divvy It Up behind her. Into the stretch, Charlies Moni remained strong as Faster Horses could not cut into her lead from the pocket. Charlies Moni won win by a length in a lifetime best and track record-tying 1:53.2. Faster Horses finished second with Cast No Stones rallying up the rail for third.
It was just the third lifetime win for the Vernon Beachy-trained Charlies Moni, but she is 2-for-2 in 2026. She is now just shy of the $100,000 mark in lifetime earnings.
In the sixth race, colt and gelding pacers took center stage with a host of leavers off the wings of the gate. Prolific Blend was the first to find the front, but his lead was short-lived as Backninebar quickly cleared with Sparks N Fire also hustling up to take that lead away. The field then settled in line as Sparks N Fire led them past a hot opening quarter of :26.4. The action from the back got underway as Chris Page pulled with Lindy Dragonwater, last year’s 2-year-old Ohio Sires Stakes champion, first-over from sixth, eventually flushing out 7-5 favorite Crocodile Station and David Miller. Once shown some clean air, Crocodile Station looked like he was shot out of a cannon as he quickly closed 5 lengths and cleared for the lead as they passed the half in :55.1. Crocodile Station now led the field up the backside with Sparks N Fire in second and Backninebar in third. Lindy Dragonwater was now uncovered aagain in fourth, stalled on the outside. As they passed three-quarters in 1:22 — after a :26.4 third quarter — Crocodile Station still led with Sparks N Fire right there in second. Backninebar popped out from third as Prolific Blend saved ground from fourth. As they came to the top of the stretch, Crocodile Station continued to lead with Sparks N Fire, Backninebar and Prolific Blend in a three-way battle for second. Through the stretch, Crocodile Station would not be denied and would power home to win by a length in a new lifetime best of 1:50.2. Sparks N Fire finished second and Prolific Blend third, although that order was swapped due to a pylon violation by Sparks N Fire.
The Mike Hitchcock-trained Crocodile Station picked up his second win of the year and sixth lifetime victory, pushing his lifetime earnings to just over $200,000.
The final Hackett Memorial, for sophomore colt and gelding trotters, took place in race 9. The race took a different shape very quickly as 2025 Ohio Sires Stakes champion Big Ranger, previously undefeated and the 1-9 favorite, broke stride before the start and lost touch with the field. With the race now wide open, Max The Mighty left hard from the outside, clearing easily to the front, with Grape Crush finding his way to the pocket. On the outside, Chris Page and Rose Run Banker thought about sliding in third before deciding to press on and head to the front. As they passed the opening quarter in :27.4, Rose Run Banker was on the outside and on his way to the front. Max The Mighty was relegated to second with Grape Crush in third and Special Money, Water Slide and Come N Get Me in line thereafter. The field remained in single file to the half in :57.2. Just past the half, Grape Crush pulled first-over and began to close in on Rose Run Banker. Max The Mighty remained in the pocket with Special Moni tagging the second-over cover. They stayed in that order as they passed three-quarters in 1:25. Around the final turn, the front four opened up by a couple of lengths as they battled to the top of the stretch. Turning for home, Rose Run Banker opened up by 2 lengths and was never challenged as he cruised home to win by a 1-3/4 lengths in a lifetime best 1:53.4. Grape Crush would hold for second while Special Moni rallied for third.
The Ron Burke-trained Rose Run Banker made it 2-for-2 this year, picking up his fourth lifetime win while pushing his career earnings to just over $237,000.
Austin Hanners led all drivers with three wins on the card while Luke Hanners and Kayne Kauffman had two wins apiece.
Only one week remains in the Miami Valley meet with racing action returning on Sunday (April 26) at 4 p.m. Closing week features six days of racing, with Kentucky Derby Day (Saturday, May 2) added in with a special 1 p.m. post. On that day, Ohio’s finest 3-year-olds will be on display in the first leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes. Also on the card will be the Grade 3 $100,000 Pacey Mindlin Invitational.