Lebanon, OH — Rick Wink won the $36,000 featured Miami Valley Open Handicap on Sunday night (April 12), his second win in a row.
Starting from post five, 9-5 favorite Rick Wink drifted off the wings of the starting gate as Alta Revelry N left hard from the inside and quickly took command. Rick Wink and Luke Hanners waited for the dust to settle before pressing on to take the lead past the :26.3 opening quarter. The field settled in single file as they rolled past the grandstand for the first time, heading to the half. As they approached the half-mile marker, Rick Wink continued to show the way with Alta Revelry N sitting second, Grantmeawish was third with a first-over Joelsyy Hanover quickly approaching. The half came and went in :55.2.
As they headed to three quarters, the pace quickened as Hanners gave Rick Wink the green light and he responded with a 27-second third quarter (1:22.2). As they paced the final turn, Rick Wink edged away from Alta Revelry N by two lengths. Joelsyy Hanover started to retreat from his long overland journey and Buzzsaw Russ moved three-wide around him while Grantmeawish was saving ground along the rail. Into the stretch, Rick Wink’s lead began to shrink as Alta Revelry N closed back in but it was to no avail. Rick Wink held strong to the wire to win by three parts of a length in 1:50. Alta Revelry N was second and Grantmeawish paced third.
The win was Rick Wink’s second in a row and his 15th lifetime score. The Burke trainee’s lifetime earnings are now just shy of $700,000.
Drivers Brett Miller and Chris Page each had a hat trick on the card while trainers Steve Carter, Mike Hitchcock, Ron Burke and Brian Tathem sent out two winners apiece.
Racing at Miami Valley will resume on Monday (April 13) with a post time of 4 p.m.