Lebanon, OH — Pace Baby Pace continued her bid for 2021 Horse of the Year honors at Miami Valley Raceway with a 1:52 win in Friday night’s (April 9) featured $25,000 Mares Open Pace.

Pace Baby Pace held off Checks On The Way to capture the $25,000 Mares Open Pace at Miami Valley. Conrad photo.

Pace Baby Pace, driven by Chris Page, used her usual come-from-behind tactics, reaching the lead at the head of the stretch and holding off a late charge from Checks On The Way (Brett Miller) for her sixth Open win in 11 tries this meet. Pansy’s Image (Tyler Smith) flew home late but settled for third.

For Page, the win was his 100th at the current Miami Valley meet. Trainer Ron Burke notched his 36th win at Miami Valley this year, three behind meet leader Tyler George’s 39.

Driver Tyler Smith became the fifth Miami Valley reinsman to crack the $1 million purse earnings plateau. Five of the top 13 money-earning drivers in North American have been Miami Valley regulars since early January. Trace Tetrick was the first to surpass $1 million and currently leads the sport in the category. Other southwest Ohio stalwarts are Dan Noble (second nationally), Brett Miller (sixth), Chris Page (seventh) and Smith (13th).

Also on Friday, driver-trainer Bruce Sturgeon guided King Klueber to his first win in just his second lifetime start. The 3-year-old son of Allamerican Native, owned by Sturgeon and Karen Heaberlin, won in 1:52.4 over Sweet Oliver (Ed Hennessey) and Serious Miki (Kayne Kauffman). Although Sturgeon has won over 900 races and earned over $3 million in his driving career, the victory was the 59-year-old driver’s first since 2017.

Racing at Miami Valley resumes Saturday (April 10), featuring a showdown between Charlie May and Heart Of Chewbacca — the top two finishers in last year’s $300,000 Ohio Sires Stakes final for 2-year-olds — in the second elimination of the James K. Hackett Memorial. Their connections have announced intentions to venture outside Ohio to look for national acclaim when their scheduling allows this year.