by Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — Latest Desire made it three-in-a-row in O-hi-o on Saturday night (Feb. 18) at Miami Valley Raceway, capturing the $22,000 Open I Pace again despite being assigned the outermost post position in the field of nine.

Conrad photo

Latest Desire and driver Simon Allard held off the last-ditch effort of My Buddy Ninkster to win their third consecutive $22,000 Open at Miami Valley on Saturday.

Knowing that his horse is in exceptionally good form driver Simon Allard set sail from the get-go, managing to clear to the front as the first quarter-beam was reached in :27. The winner was afforded a :29 second breather in the second quarter-mile, reaching the midway point of the race in :56.

With Lucky Lime (Kyle Ater) moving up to second on the outside and My Buddy Ninkster (Tyler Smith) enjoying a tight pocket ride, Latest Desire had to step it up in the third panel, stopping that teletimer in 1:23.4. With Lucky Lime still pressing on the outside and runnerup My Buddy Ninkster finding racing room along the stretch pylons, Allard and Latest Desire paced a confident :28.1 closing quarter-mile to win by a measured ‘neck’ margin.

A recent purchase by the partnership of AWS Stables, Fairway Stables and Milton Leeman, Latest Desire eclipsed the $400,000 earnings plateau with his third straight win, including a 20 percent bonus as Ohio owners winning from a nine-hole start. Virgil Morgan Jr. trains the 7-year-old Real Desire gelding.