Lebanon, OH — The richest race thus far at the 2023 Miami Valley meet produced a thrilling photo finish — as expected — on Tuesday (Feb, 14), in the $35,000 final of the Claim To Fame Series for $20,000 claiming pacers. All eight of the preliminary leg winners over the past two weeks were present and accounted for when the field reported to the starter.

Mustang Beach and driver Dan Noble put in a gutsy performance, going gate-to-wire but facing stiff challenges on both the inside and the outside to survive by a nose at the end of the stretch. After Noble set fractions of :26.2, :55.4 and 1:23.2, it took Mustang Beach all he had to prevail over Unloaded (Josh Sutton) on his inside and Mohawk Seelster (Chris Page) on his outside.

Mustang Beach gave all he had to maintain the slimmest of winning margins in the $35,000 Claim To Fame final. Conrad photo.

The Lucky Label Stable, of Grove City, Ohio, claimed the winner out of the first leg and needed to win Leg 2 to advance to the final. They did just that in addition to drawing the coveted No. 1 post position for the lucrative final. Although Trace Tetrick advanced Mustang Beach for trainer Charlie Stewart in the preliminary round, Noble picked up the drive in the final as Tetrick had also won a preliminary round for trainer Tyler George, one of his top accounts.

The complete field, in the order of finish, was Mustang Beach, Unloaded N, Mohawk Seelster, Major Crocker, Littlebitaswagger, Bunkndunk, Play The Ponies, Bold And Brassy and Rockin Daddy O. There was no claiming from the championship.