from Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — Bottom claimers got a unique opportunity to race for a $20,000 purse at Miami Valley Raceway on Monday afternoon (Feb. 8) when the championship leg of the track’s popular Survivor Series was contested.

Ninety-one $5,000 claimers paid a $100 entry fee to start the elimination tournament on Jan. 11 in 10 divisions. The top three finishers plus the six fastest fourth place finishers advanced to Round 2 a week later, comprised of four divisions. Following a cancelled card on Jan. 25, two semi-final fields faced the starter on Feb. 1 with the top half of the finishers qualifying for the lucrative championship.

Conrad photo

Peck Blue Chip won the $20,000 championship of the Survivor Series for $5,000 claimers at Miami Valley.

Peck Blue Chip, despite narrowly surviving the early rounds with two third place and one fourth place finish, was crowned Survivor Series king with a 1:54.2 upset victory for driver Josh Sutton, trainer Daniel Jones and owner Miracle Meadows LLC. Back At Cha (LeWayne Miller), part of a favored Todd Rosenberg-owned entry, finished second while Sammy Storm (Jason Brewer), who was claimed in each of the preliminary elimination rounds, garnered the show dough. The winner paid $17.00 for a $2 ticket.

Sutton wrestled the winner off the gate and retreated to the pylons through a :27.4 opening quarter. Miami Valley’s current leading driver pulled into the outer flow just prior to the half, but still had five horses to pass. Abandoning the second-over position at the three-quarter station, Peck Blue Chip was angled three-wide coming off the final turn and responded with a strong stretch drive to secure the triumph.

Although Peck Blue Chip now has 21 career wins and $168,585 in earnings, the $10,000 winner’s share of the championship purse is the son of Art Major’s largest ever payday. Although he finished second as a 2-year-old in the Standardbred at Delaware, Ohio, and had won several $25,000 claiming races at Hoosier Park in 2013, Peck Blue Chip’s tally in the Survivor Series final was his largest single financial success.

The win was one of four on the program for Josh Sutton, who entered the day tied with Jeremy Smith for the meet dash lead. He also scored with Caseofthesillies (1:56.1, $8.00 to win), Mojito Hanover (1:54, $4.80) and Dolly’s Girl (1:54, $11.80).

Sutton now sports 36 wins through the first 22 days of the 2016 meet. Jeremy Smith is second with 33, followed by Dan Noble, Tyler Smith and Trace Tetrick — all deadlocked with 29. Rounding out the Top 10 are Chris Page (26), Kayne Kauffman (24), John DeLong (20), Randy Tharps (19) and LeWayne Miller (14).