Lebanon, OH – It didn’t take Refined long to get back to her winning ways in the new year. In her second 2022 start in the $30,000 Open Handicap trot at Miami Valley on Monday (Jan. 10) the Ohio-sired daughter of Uncle Peter got her first season win, which was her 10th triumph within the last year and 21st of her career. With the lion’s share of the purse, the 6-year-old pushed her career bankroll to over $400,000.

Refined cruised across the wire in Monday’s $30,000 OpenTrot at Miami Valley, her tenth win in a year. Conrad photo.

Driver Mitch Cushing rushed the winner off the wings of the starting car and took command as the field fled past the :28.3 quarter mile marker. The Virgil Morgan Jr. trainee kept the field at bay through middle fractions of :58.1 and 1:27.1 and trotted a :28 final panel to seal the deal.

Delilah Seelster (Trace Tetrick) tried valiantly to catch the even-money favorite, but to no avail. Thunder (Brett Miller), winner of last week’s Open Trot at Northfield Park, returned to southwest Ohio and finished third.

Joyce McClelland and Larry Willis share ownership of Refined, who had been earning nice checks, but hadn’t won since scoring in a conditioned race at Yonkers almost two months ago.

Four divisions of the first leg of a Claim To Fame Series for male $12,500 claimers also went postward. Winners, all of whom were among the dozen horses claimed out of the first leg, were: Bettor’s Dream (Jeremy Smith, $20.20), Criminal Record (Kayne Kauffman, $21), Shangai Bobby (Chris Page,, $11.40) and N Expense (Jeremy Smith, $9).

In the second leg next Monday (Jan. 17) the combatants will chase $15,000 purses and carry 30% enhanced claiming tags. Following two preliminary legs, the top nine purse earners in the series will advance to a lucrative $25,000 championship.

Miami Valley Raceway races five consecutive days each week on a Sunday through Thursday schedule. Daily post time is 4:05 p.m.