by the USTA Communications Department

Lebanon, OH — Defending Dan Patch and O’Brien Award-winning Older Mare Pacer Lady Shadow began her 2017 campaign in the same fashion that she ended her 2016 season. The 6-year-old daughter of Shadow Play scored a wire-to-wire victory in the $100,000 Sam ‘Chip’ Noble III Memorial at Miami Valley Gaming in 1:50.3, equaling the track record for older pacing mares on Monday afternoon (May 8).

Lady Shadow ties the track record of 1:50.3 in her first triumph of the season at Miami Valley in the Sam ‘Chip’ Noble III Memorial on Monday afternoon.

Leaving from post 4 as the 3-5 favorite, Lady Shadow and driver Yannick Gingras took the lead before the quarter in :27, while long shot Divas Image (36-1) settled in behind her in second. The field moved in straight alignment past the half-mile in :54.3.

“I thought maybe we went too fast in the second quarter (:27.3) but she was doing it so easy so I just let her move along,” said Gingras after the race.

Sandbetweenyourtoes launched a first-over challenge as they moved to the three-quarters in 1:22.1, with Blue Moon Stride advancing second-over and Divas Image continuing to track the leader from the pocket turning for home.

As she did 12 times in 2016, Lady Shadow proved too much for her challengers, pacing home in :28.2 for the 1-1/4-length win in 1:50.3. Diva’s Image finished second from the pocket and Blue Moon Stride closed off cover to be third.

Trained by Ron Adams for owners David Kryway, Carl Atley, Edwin Gold and BFJ Stable, Lady Shadow returned $3.40 to win and pushed her lifetime earnings over $1.6 million.

“She was very good and really strong. They told me she was ready and (trainer) Ron (Adams) was right,” said Gingras. “She’s just a classy mare and she got it done.”

Co-owner Carl Atley was thrilled with Lady Shadow’s performance off of just two qualifiers at Mohawk this year.

“Yannick’s the best driver in the world and Ron Adams did a great job of training her and getting her ready for her first start,” he said. “It’s hard to come out in your first race and be this sharp and he’s done a good job preparing her for this race.”

Atley indicated that Lady Shadow would be pointed for the Roses Are Red eliminations on June 10 at Mohawk Raceway.

State-bred stars featured in Scarlet & Gray Invitationals

Four $50,000 Scarlet & Gray Invitationals, for Ohio’s best 3-year-olds, shared the spotlight with the Sam ‘Chip’ Noble Memorial for the continent’s best older pacer mares on closing day. The successful 87-day 2017 meet, the fourth since the southwest Ohio oval began racing operations in 2014, ended with record purses paid, record overall handle and a multitude of new track records.

The inaugural Scarlet & Gray Invitational, for sophomore Buckeye-bred trotting fillies, produced one of those track records when Rose Run Sydney (Jason Brewer) exploded three wide at the three-quarter-mile station and topped Chim Swift (Aaron Merriman) and Let’s Get Started (Josh Sutton) in 1:56.2. Trainer Steve Carter co-owns the daughter of Triumphant Caviar with Adam Friedland and RBR Racing LLC. It was Rose Run Sydney’s ninth career victory and boosted her bankroll to $130,817.

Conrad photos

Leading trainer and driver awards for 2017 were presented during the track’s final program. Racing Operations Manager Helen Carlo congratulates leading trainer Tyler George, while leading driver Trace Tetrick is recognized by Race Secretary Gregg Keidel.

Ohio’s best pacing fillies were next and another Rose Run Farm-bred named Rose Run Skyler (Aaron Merriman) wired the field in 1:53 to establish another Miami Valley speed standard for her age and sex. The daughter of The Panderosa, owned by Lionel Watiker and trained by Derek Watiker, bested Pistol Packin Mama (Trace Tetrick) and Official Kisser (Jason Brewer) for her third win in five career starts.

Trotting colts competed for the next $50,000 Scarlet & Gray purse and David Miller, Hall of Famer and Driver Of The Year, guided Star Buster to a 1:54 upset over Lord Of The Reigns (Kayne Kauffman) and Goldfinger (Ryan Stahl), kicking back $28.40 for a $2 win ticket. Trainer Jeff Cox, who accompanied Miller and gave him his first mounts when the pair relocated to The Meadowlands years ago, conditions Star Buster for owner Michael Soehnlen. Although it was the son of Deep Chip’s ninth lifetime win—mostly at Ohio county fairs as a 2-year-old—this triumph more than doubled his career bounty to $47,546.

David Miller produced another upset, although slightly milder ($16.20 to win) in the final $50,000 Scarlet & Gray split for pacing colts. ‘Purple Jesus,’ as Miller is affectionately known in Ohio, guided Brian Brown’s White Jet to a come-from-behind score in 1:52.1, topping stablemate McThriller (Chris Page) by 1-1/4 lengths. Heracer (Aaron Merriman) and Sunny’s Bro (Greg Grismore) dead-heated for show.

It was the second win in 10 starts for White Jet, a son of The Panderosa, for the Emerald Highlands Farm.

— Miami Valley Raceway also contributed to this report