from Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — Class prevailed in the $20,000 Survivor Series championship for $5,000 claiming pacers on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 27) at Miami Valley Raceway.

Conrad photo

Screamin Seaman A won the $20,000 championship leg of the Miami Valley Survivor Series in his final career start.

Screamin Seaman A, the oldest and the richest of the ten finalists — who each advanced through three preliminary legs to get to the final — went gate-to-wire in 1:54.4 for driver Tyler Smith and owner-trainer Cole Fitzwater.

In his final race, the 11-year-old Australian-born son of Armbro Operative certainly went out in style. Barely advancing through the trio of preliminary eliminations, due largely to consecutive outside post position draws, Smith and Screamin Seaman A took full advantage of their innermost starting spot in the championship.

After seating a pair of fellow leavers through a :27.4 opening quarter, the champs led the field through subsequent middle fractions of :57.1 and 1:25.3 before tacking on a :29.1 final panel to win by open lengths. Screamin Seaman A ended his career with 28 victories and $348,890 in earnings. Longshot Crown Isle (Josh Sutton) took advantage of a mile-long pocket ride to finish second, while Maserati Seelster (Mike Oosting) rallied to grab the show spot. The winner paid $11.80, the exacta returned $145 and a 50-cent trifecta was worth $338.90.

Miami Valley employees and horsemen congratulate Cole Fitzwater for his series championship and say “thanks for the memories” to Screamin Seaman A for providing so many thrills during a long and illustrious career.