Lebanon, OH — Allbeastnobeauty (Kayne Kauffman) collared heavily favored Checks On The Way (Trace Tetrick) in deep stretch Friday night (March 13) to capture the $25,000 Mares Open Pace at Miami Valley Raceway.

Allbeastnobeauty benefitted from a pocket ride to upset Checks On The Way in Miami Valley’s $25,000 Mares Open on Friday. Conrad photo.

Diamondtequilashot (Ricky Macomber Jr.) got a ground-saving trip to garner the show finish in the flashy ten horse feature field.Checks On The Way cut all the early fractions with Allbeastnobeauty, returning to the Open ranks after a triumph in the top condition class last week, sitting snug on her back until midstretch. Following fractions of :28.2, :56.3 and 1:24.2 the favorite faltered just slightly at the end of a :28 flat final quarter while Allbeastnobeauty pounced from the pocket full of pace in the final furlong.

Despite her recent win and drawing the rail, the Erik Jaeck Jr. trainee paid a healthy $32.60 to her faithful. Coupled with the odds-on favorite, the exacta paid $83. The 50-cent trifecta was worth $106.55. Letme Fly Low (Brett Miller) finished fourth and Always Giggling (John DeLong) fifth, triggering a 10-cent Buckeye High-5 payoff of $534.20.

A pair of final preliminary legs were contested in the Herb Coven Jr. Memorial Series for fillies and mares that were non-winners of four races or $40,000 on Feb. 15.

The first $15,000 split went to EyespywithmylileyeN (DeLong), a repeat winner for owner Trent Stohler and trainer Alesha Binkley. Her 1:54 clocking bettered Dragonfly (Tetrick) and Spee Dee Shark (Macomber Jr.) and set the 5-year-old daughter of Mach Three up as the likely favorite when the $25,000 final is held next Friday night.

Pace Baby Pace (Josh Sutton) was the upset winner of the second division despite an outside post position. The 4-year-old Sweet Lou lass topped Hilary Barry N (DeLong) and Jazzie Babe (Trevor Smith) in 1:52.4. It was just the third career win for Pace Baby Pace, bred and still owned by Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The name, of course, is a reference to Miami Valley ace handicapper Pacey (The Wizard) Mindlin’s signature saying.

The nine top money earners in the Coven Jr. Memorial qualified for the lucrative final. They are, in order of series earnings: EyespyonmylileyeN, Hilary Barry N, Pace Baby Pace, Dragonfly, Jazzie Babe, Atoritotell, Spee Dee Shark, Heerz Hoosierhunny and Sweet Sue.