from Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — Shine N Shimmer slid into town Friday night (Jan. 30) and captured the $16,500 Mares Open Pace at Miami Valley Raceway in 1:52.3, just two-fifths of a second off the track record for older pacing mares despite 26 degree temperatures and gusting winds.

Shine N Shimmer beat Igottafeelinfran in the $16,500 Mares Open Pace in 1:52.3.

Driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr., the 2014 national dash champion, pushed the 7-year-old American Ideal mare right to the front when the wings folded and they were able to maintain the lead through fractions of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:24.1.

The winner, shipping in from the East Coast where she earned $95,413 with eight wins in 2014, beat Igottafeelinfran (Dan Noble)– the winner of last year’s Ohio Sires Stakes championship for older mares, making her first seasonal start — and Metro Shopping (Tyler Smith), who got the show dough.

Jim Ellison now trains Shine N Shimmer for the partnership of Dandy Farms and Howard Taylor. She paid $8.80 to win.

Earlier on the program the $8,200 championship final of the Claim To Fame series for $5,000 claiming trotters was contested. The upset winner was DW’s Jasmine (Kyle Ater), who topped King Trut (Josh Sutton) and Pacific Wave K (Ken Holliday) in 1:56.2 at odds of 14-1.

Benjamin Holton photos

DW’s Jasmine was the upset winner of the $8,200 championship of the Claim To Fame series for $5,000 trotters.

The winner got away third as Beauregret carved wicked trotting fractions of :27.2 and :56.1 to the half. Ater came first up headed to the three-quarters where his 9-year-old mare stuck a head in front in 1:25.4. Her :30.3 final panel was enough to garner the championship for the pride of the Baron Racing Stable and trainer George Anthrop.

The Saturday night card at Miami Valley will feature a $14,500 Open Pace as well as the $20,000 championship leg of the Claim To Fame series for $12,500 horses and geldings.

Miami Valley will also provide the only live harness racing action in the United States on Super Bowl Sunday with a 3 p.m. post time. The matinee program should wrap-up about a half hour before kickoff of the Patriots-Seahawks clash, which will be shown throughout the Miami Valley casino and bars on dozens of large-screen television monitors.