from Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — Alwayssmoothraigin pulled a startling upset in the $15,000 championship of the “Red” Owens Memorial Series on Monday afternoon (April 11) at Miami Valley Raceway.

With trainer Randy Crisler in the sulky, the 4-year-old daughter of Always A Virgin was dispatched at 37-1 odds despite finishing second in the final preliminary leg a week earlier.

Conrad photo

Alwayssmoothraigin pulled a startling upset in the $15,000 championship of the “Red” Owens Memorial Series.

The winner dropped in fourth off the gate as odds-on favorite Asadvertised (Jeremy Smith) made the front prior to the :28.4 quarter-mile marker over the sloppy track. Crisler was not content to race for a check, though, and set sail to on the outside shortly thereafter.

Alwayssmoothraigin moved up to second on the outside by the :59.1 rated half, remained parked in second at the 1:27.2 third interval, then pressed onward through the :29.2 final panel to pass Asadvertised midway down the stretch and then hold off fast-closing ER Lila (Peter Wrenn) in the final strides of the 1:56.4 mile.

John Lewis of Alabama owns the winner who now has five career wins and $17,000 in earnings just this season.

The George “Red” Owens Memorial Series, for female non-winners of two races or $15,000 at the outset of the series, is one of nine Lebanon Legends late-closers currently underway that honor some of the prominent horsemen who helped to put Lebanon Raceway on the map in earlier days.

Driver Chris Page solidified his second place standing in the local dash derby with five wins on the matinee card.