Dayton, OH — Chalk bettors enjoyed the $18,000 Open Trot at Hollywood Dayton Raceway on Friday night (Nov. 23), while some others chasing longshots were rewarded in the co-featured $18,500 Mares Open Pace.
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Pine Dream was the repeat winner of the weekly top trot, scoring for driver Aaron Merriman in 1:53.3. The favorite paid $3.60 and gave Merriman his fourth victory on the night and 993rd on the year as he seeks to become the first reinsman in harness history to record back-to-back 1,000 win seasons.
The winning 6-year-old Kelly Chupp-trained gelding stopped the clock at every substation — the first in :27.2, then :55.4 and 1:23.4 before holding off runner-up All About Cowboys (Jason Brewer) and show finisher Primed N Powerful (Tyler Smith) in the stretch.
Pine Dream now sports 25 career victories in 102 starts, good for $186,867 in earnings. He is owned by Chupp Racing Stable of Illinois.
Endeavors Star, claimed a week ago for $29,000, stepped back into Open company and rewarded her new owner Jason Shumway of Ohio with an initial $9,250 return on his seven-day old investment.
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New trainer Daniel Jones had the 4-year-old daughter of Keystone Endeavor ready to roll and first-time driver Dan Noble gave her a confident trip at 9-1 odds. Initially fourth along the pylons during the :27.1 opening panel, Noble moved Endeavors Star into second over position before the half was reached in :56.2.
The winner moved up to second on the outside by the third quarter in 1:24 and then out-dueled pacesetter Rockin Racer (Jared Finn) through the stretch. The final task was holding off favored Rosemary Rose (Chris Page), who made a furious late three-wide charge but could do no better than second in the 1:52.2 mile. Juslikeaqueen (Jeremy Smith) also closed well to gain a dead heat with Rockin Racer for third.
It was the 12th win of the year for Endeavors Star and raised her seasonal earnings to $118,780. She owns a 1:50.1 speed badge taken at Scioto Downs this summer.