from Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway

Dayton, OH — Juslikeaqueen staked her claim to being the Queen of the current collection of Hollywood Dayton open pacing mares, capturing the feature race for the distaff set on Friday night (Nov. 17) in 1:51.1.

It was the fifth win in the last six starts for the 3-year-old Palone Ranger-sired filly and ninth of the season after a winless freshman campaign of just three starts. The winner’s share of the $18,500 purse pushed Juslikeaqueen’s 2017 bankroll to $75,000.

Conrad photo

Juslikeaqueen defeats her foes in the featured pacing event in 1:51.1.

Driver Jeremy Smith, named the sulky-sitter for the first time by trainer Daniel Maier, sped from the gate to drop in second behind favored American Girl (Jason Brewer), who clocked a quick :26 opening panel.

Content with the pocket ride through a :54.4 half-mile, Juslikeaqueen sat chilly as East Coast invader Rock Me Baby, making her first start for new trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. and driver Josh Sutton, ranged up to challenge the pacesetter at the 1:22.1 three-quarters station.

Rounding the final turn, Smith found room to back out from the pocket and swing three-wide around Rock Me Baby.

American Girl hung tough through a grueling stretch drive, but Juslikeaqueen forged ahead of the runner-up steps from the wire. Jerseylicious (Tyler Smith), who was saddled with an outside post position draw, rallied ferociously to garner the show dough.

Antonia Storer owns the winner, who was the only filly in the talented field of older mares, who collectively had 196 victories under their girths, for total earnings of $3,289,627.

Driver Kayne Kauffman had a pair of impressive triumphs in $12,000 purse events on the undercard. He guided Stirling Euphoria to a 1:52.4 tally in the highest condition race for mares, besting Mischief Maker N (Trevor Smith) and Tiene’s Leche (Aaron Merriman). Three races later Kauffman steered the pacing colt Camwood to his sixth win in his last eight starts, stopping the clock in 1:51.3, just two-fifths of a second off the track record for sophomore geldings.

Chris Page, Tyler Smith and Jason Brewer also notched driving doubles on the program.