Lebanon, OH — Rosemary Rose (Chris Page) posted a narrow victory in the $25,000 Mares Open Pace at Miami Valley Raceway on Friday (Feb. 21), topping longshot Diamondtequilashot (Ricky Macomber Jr.) and favorite Checks On The Way (Trace Tetrick) in a photo finish.

Rosemary Rose prevailed in a thrilling photo finish at the end of Miami Valley’s $25,000 Open Mares Pace on Friday. Conrad photo.

Colorful Sky (Sam Widger) was quickest off the starting car, but finally relinquished to Checks On The Way just past the :26.4 opening quarter-mile. After a single file :29 second quarter breather, the best girls in the region got serious and by the 1:24.1 third station were double tiered from front to back. Rosemary Rose was leading the charge on the outside with Diamondtequilashot in tow. When those two outer flow combatants fanned three wide at the top of the lane a fierce and exciting battle ensued all the way down the stretch.

Rosemary Rose reached the wire first in 1:52.3 with the other pair (Diamondtequilashot and Checks On The Way) lapped on and earning an identical clocking. The winner paid $7; the exacta returned a healthy $78.80; and the 50-cent trifecta was worth $154.65.

The feature race triumph was one of three on the program for the Chris Page-Ron Burke driver-trainer tandem. They also scored with GD Western Joe (1:51.1, $2.60) in a $14,000 conditioned pace and Rockin Zoe (1:55, $11.40) in a non-winners of six races conditioned/claiming event. Page added a fourth tally with Sports Lightning (1:57.2, $29) in a $4,000 race for $5,000 claimers for Zink Racing and Strike Point Racing.

Tetrick bettered Page’s grand slam by adding “one for the thumb.” Trace’s winners were Treacherous Beach (1:58, $16.20), Cantescapemydesire (1:54, $4.80), Scarlet V (1:55.2, $4.20), Tickle My Fancy (1:56, $9) and Debt Motivated (1:52.3, $4.20).

With his handful of winners, Tetrick extended his meet leading total to 69 with a six win margin over current runner-up Brett Miller.

Racing resumes Saturday night (Feb. 22) when the feature will be the $25,000 championship leg of the Bill Dailey Memorial Medley at a distance of 1-1/4 miles.