Lebanon, OH – Andre L and D A Mcdreamy each took a division of the $22,000 Nw10pm co-feature at Miami Valley on Monday evening (April 20).
In the first division, Johnny Smash and Luke Hanners fired out for the early lead, crossing over quickly to take command. Andre L would settle in the pocket with Vel Lickety Split right behind him as the rest of the field would line up single file past an opening quarter of :27.2. As they neared the stands for the first time, Victory Joe would pull first over from fifth and slowly grind closer to the leaders, getting within a neck of Andre L in second as Johnny Smash led them past the half in :56.
As they sprinted up the backside, Johnny Smash would continue on the lead with Victory Joe closing in on the outside and 6-5 favorite Andre L waiting patiently in the pocket. Three quarters came and went in 1:23.4 and the leaders paced the final turn with Johnny Smash still in front, Victory Joe to his outside, Andre L waiting for racing room and a three wide Cruisin Jim trying to gain ground. As they turned for home, Johnny Smash drifted off the rail which allowed Andre L to attack from the inside, closing steadily all the way to the wire and getting up to win it by a nose in 1:52.2. Victory Joe would hold off a host of others to finish third.
For Andre L, the Heather France trainee, the win was his third in his last six starts, and fifth on the year bringing his lifetime total to 13.
In the second division, Odds On Mad Hatter left alertly from the rail and assumed command of the field by the opening turn, with D A Mcdreamy securing the pocket and Scares Me settling in third. The opening quarter went by in :27.1. Before the horses reached the tote board for the first time, the outer flow was overdeveloping and eventually leading to D A Mcdreamy being flushed out first over from third with Five hot on his heels. As they passed the half in :55.3, Odds On Mad Hatter continued to show the way with 3/5 favorite Scares Me right to his outside, D A Mcdreamy in the pocket and Five perfectly placed second over.
The order would remain unchanged through three quarters in 1:23. As they paced the final turn, Odds On Mad Hatter and Scares Me remained in a nose to nose duel with D A Mcdreamy trapped in the pocket and Five to his outside. As they turned for home, the two leaders remained locked in battle but Five began to tire and opened a door for D A Mcdreamy who immediately swung from the rail to three wide in a blink of an eye. Scares Me finally wore down Odds On Mad Hatter and took the lead but D A Mcdreamy was flying on the outside and just got up to win it by the smallest of noses in 1:52. Odds On Mad Hatter would hold off Ybnormal for third.
For D A Mcdreamy, it was his second win of the year and first since moving to the Jason Irwin barn from out east. His lifetime total now stands at seven.
Tyler Smith had a driving triple with three other drivers having doubles tonight, including Brett Miller, Sam Widger and Luke Hanners. Jason Irwin had a training double.
Racing action returns on Tuesday (April 21) night with a 4 p.m. post.