by Miami Valley Raceway

Dayton, OH — Jailhouse Sam was crowned champion of the annual Robert J. Brown Memorial trotting series on Sunday afternoon (April 23) at Miami Valley Raceway. Although trainer/driver Hugh ‘Sandy’ Beatty believes his colt’s best races may come from off cover trips, he made a last second decision to point him directly to the front when the starting gate swung open in this $17,500 final.

Holton photo

JailhouseSam holds off Goldfinger in 1:56.3 to win the R. J. Brown MemorialSeries final at Miami Valley on Sunday.

A homebred of owner Casey Clemens, the 3-year-old Victory Sam-Jailhouse Broad gelding sailed through fractions of :28.1, :58.2 and 1:27.4 before tacking on a final panel in :28.4 to hold off fast-closing Goldfinger (Dan Noble) in 1:56.3. Deweyknowigotit (Derek Watiker) parlayed a pocket trip into a third place finish.

“This colt made a little over $50,000 last year including winning the $25,000 Ohio Fairs final at Dayton Raceway,” said Beatty after the race, “so we have high hopes for him this year. His next start will be in the first leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes right here at Miami Valley next Monday (May 1).”

“I’m really pleased to win this race honoring R. J. Brown,” Beatty related. “My parents were great friends with ‘Skeeter’ and he was an outstanding Ohio horseman. It doesn’t hurt that his colors were blue like mine, either, so the commemorative blanket will come in handy.”