from Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — Miami Valley Gaming and Racing concluded its fourth season of live harness racing with a flourish on Monday (May 8).

Total handle for the 87-day meet was up substantially over 2016 figures and total purses paid was up more than 25 percent year-over-year. All indicators have progressively improved each season, particularly during the last two. Activity at the claim box showed 481 horses changing hands during the meet for more than $6.5 million.

Conrad photo

Leading trainer and driver awards for the 2017 Miami Valley meet were presented during the track’s final program. (Left to right) Racing Operations Manager Helen Carlo congratulates leading trainer Tyler George, while leading driver Trace Tetrick is recognized by race secretary Gregg Keidel.

Trace Tetrick took the driver’s dash title at Miami Valley for the first time with 154 victories, while Tyler George copped his first training title by harnessing 50 winners. Tetrick was one of three drivers whose mounts exceeded $1 million in earnings during the 2017 season. George was one of 35 trainers who sent out winners of 10 or more races during the highly competitive session that ran from Jan. 4 through May 8.

The 2017 meet started with a bang during the first week when Miami Valley introduced the $25,000 North American Drivers Challenge, won by Toronto’s Doug McNair, which attracted 30 nationally-known reinsmen to southwest Ohio over three days.

Four months later, the meet concluded with another Miami Valley innovation, the well-received $200,000 Scarlet & Gray Day showcasing the best 3-year-old Ohio sired horses in four races.

In between, Miami Valley also featured a popular Claim To Fame series, a quartet of Survivor Series tournaments, nine ‘Lebanon Legends’ late-closing series, the traditional James K. Hackett Memorial championships, a new Lucky Buckeye night for older state-bred horses, the first leg of the annual lucrative Ohio Sires Stakes program, the first leg of the new Buckeye Stallion Series, and a pair of nationally recognized Grand Circuit events for the best mares in North America.

“We want to thank the hundreds of horsemen and the thousands of guests who were part of such a fantastic season,” said Racing Operations Manager Helen Carlo. “The significant increases in both handle and purses has set the bar high, but plans are underway leading towards a repeat performance in 2018.”