Dayton, OH — It took four tries for Classicist to find the winner’s circle since shipping from the East Coast, but the distaffer broke through in Thursday’s (Dec. 29) $24,000 Mares Open Pace at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.

Benefitting from a pocket ride behind co-favorite Alexa Skye (driven by Mitch Cushing), Chris Page popped the pocket at the head of the stretch with the 4-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous and collared the pacesetter in 1:51.4. Rose Run Vision (Brad Ferguson) was a creditable third in the weekly feature race for the distaff set.

Classicist lifted from the pocket to narrowly prevail in Thursday’s Mares Open Pace at Hollywood Dayton. Conrad photo.

Classicist paid $6.40 to win in her first local triumph. It was her fifth seasonal victory and the 13th of her career. She now has a lifetime bankroll of $332,952, with over $164,000 of that amount earned in 2022.

Eric Good, of Denton, Md., owns Classicist and entrusted the training to the sport’s leading trainer, Ron Burke, when he shipped her to Ohio.

Racing at Hollywood Dayton resumes on Friday (Dec. 30), the 69th and final program of a successful season.

Features on the card include a $24,000 Auld Lang Syne Open Pace, the $12,000 Lamar Moody Memorial for $15,000 claimers, a Good Old Boys pace for bottom claimers — which includes a pair of 14-year-olds making their final career starts after earning over over $370,000 each — and a “must win” proposition of the $1 Pick-8 wager with a carryover of $22,322. Post time is 4 p.m.