from Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — Friskie Lil Devil, who captured the $200,000 Ohio Sires Stakes championship for freshman pacing fillies in her final 2014 start, opened her 2015 campaign by copping the $38,000 James K. Hackett Memorial championship race at Miami Valley on Friday night (April 24).

Conrad photo

Friskie Lil Devil captured the $38,000 James K. Hackett Memorial for Ohio-sired sophomore fillies at Miami Valley.

Driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. decided to take the safest route possible by leaving alertly and cutting all the fractions in an impressive gate-to-wire performance. The pride of the Lil Devil Stable, the Brian Brown-trainee coasted through quarter splits of :27.3, :57.4, 1:27.1 and 1:55.4 to garner the relatively easy 1-1/2 length victory over stablemate Corner Girl (Josh Sutton) and E Ticket Ride (Dan Noble).

With the Hackett victory, Friskie Lil Devil is approaching $200,000 in career earnings from just nine lifetime races with three wins and six place finishes. Sent off at 3-5 odds on Friday she will undoubtedly be favored again next weekend when the first legs of the 2015 Ohio Sires Stakes for sophomore pacers and trotters are scheduled at Miami Valley.

The Brian Brown Stable enjoyed a huge night as Candy’s A Virgin also captured the $17,050 Fillies and Mares Open Pace in her initial 2015 start and her stablemate Color’s A Virgin won the $21,000 distaff invitational at Hoosier Park within the same hour.

Both daughters of Always A Virgin, owned by Emerald Highlands Farm, are being pointed next at the $75,000 (est.) Chip Noble Memorial Grand Circuit stake for older female pacers on Sunday (May 3), which is closing day on the Miami Valley season.

Reinsman Chris Page guided Candy’s A Virgin towards the front from the outside post position in a field of eight, gaining command just past a :26.2 first quarter. After tripping the middle teletimer beams in :54.3 and 1:23.3, the gray 4-year-old posted a :28.3 final panel to win by a comfortable length in 1:52.1. Favored Native Dream (Dan Noble) sat the pocket throughout and finished second with Tarport Belle (Josh Sutton) finishing strong to complete the trifecta ticket.

Page had five trips to the winner’s circle during the 12-race card. His other winners were Fox Valley Bonita (1:56.3), trotter Mischievous Jesse (1:58.1), Sectionline Aqua (1:53.2) and Buckeye Thea (1:54.1).

Racing resumes Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. with the $30,000 Hackett Memorial for pacing colts and an $18,150 Open Pace on tap.