Lebanon, OH — Manny was crowned champion of the inaugural Bill Dailey Memorial Medley at Miami Valley Raceway on Saturday night (Feb. 23). The 6-year-old American Ideal gelding topped Angelo J Fra (Tyler Smith) and The Dark Shadow (Chris Page) in the 1-1/4 mile title bout in 2:24.3 despite a rain-soaked racing strip.

Manny splashed to victory in the $25,000 championship of the Bill Dailey Memorial Medley. Conrad photo.

Leading driver Trace Tetrick worked out a second-over trip in the outer flow for the best part of the extended race, clearing to the front as the horses entered the stretch and cruising to a relatively easy victory by almost three lengths. Account Rollover (Brett Miller) left hard from the outside position behind the starting gate and cut all the fractions (:28.2, :57.2, 1:27.4 and 1:56) before faltering during the final :28.3 panel.

Manny is owned by Jessica Smith and trained by her husband Randy Smith. He now sports 18 career wins and his share of the $25,000 championship purse boosted his lifetime bounty to almost $300,000. He paid $7.40 to win.

The Bill Dailey Memorial Medley series featured a three-quarter-mile dash, a one mile contest and the 1-1/4 mile final. Dailey, one of Ohio’s most prolific colt trainers, died unexpectedly at age 57 in May of 2018. He trained numerous Ohio and Indiana Sires Stakes champions including six Ohio Triple Crown winners. He won the prestigious Jerry Kaltenbach Award four times as Ohio Sire Stakes Trainer of the Year.

Randy and Jessica Smith and family, the owner-trainers of Manny, are greeted following the final of the Bill Dailey Memorial Medley by Dailey’s wife Kim and daughter Ashley. Conrad photo.

The Dailey Memorial winner was greeted in the winner’s circle by Bill’s wife Kim and daughter Ashley as well as many Dailey Stable employees, friends, family members and racing officials.

Dancin Yankee, one of the most prolific Ohio-sired winners and earners in history, captured his second straight $25,000 Open Pace on the same card. The 11-year-old son of Yankee Cruiser notched his 71st lifetime win and increased his earnings to $1,863,407.

Driver Chris Page elected to take no prisoners by hurrying the 2-1 favorite to the lead in a :26.4 opening quarter, then posting middle fractions of :56 and 1:23.1 before speeding home in 1:51.3.

Dancin Yankee, one of the most prolific Ohio-sired horses ever, cruised to a 1:51.3 triumph in Miami Valley’s Saturday night Open Pace. Conrad photo.

Granite (Brett Miller) tried his best to wear down Dancin Yankee, but could never get past the winner’s wheel. My Hero Ron (Tyler Smith) got away third, was shuffled to fifth during the middle half, then rallied in the lane for an impressive third place finish.

Dancin Yankee is owned by the Burke Racing Stable.

Fan Of Terror increased his seasonal earnings to $57,100 with a 1:52.2 gate-to-wire score in the $20,000 Open II Pace. It was the fifth win in six tries in 2019 for four different trainers.

The 7-year-old Western Terror gelding has temporarily resided in the Tyler George, Walter Haynes Jr. and Brady Galliers stables as he swept through the $20,000 Claim To Fame series at Miami Valley, then was grabbed via the claim box for $30,000 by owner Therl Hensley and trainer Pete Redder last week.