from Miami Valley Raceway

Lebanon, OH — A new track record and a prolonged winning streak were the results of another pair of Lebanon Legends late-closer series finals on the Tuesday (April 3) matinee at Miami Valley Raceway.

In the $17,500 Omar Hiteman Memorial championship race, Sectionline Bigry established a new track record for sophomore pacing colts when he upset heavily favored Mindtrip in 1:51.

Sectionline Bigry just edged Mindtrip in the Omar Hiteman Memorial Series championship, establishing a new 3-year-old track record of 1:51.

After CG’s Boy Toy and Colin N Down dueled to the first quarter station, driver Peter Wrenn gunned Mindtrip — who entered the race off a sharp 1:51.3 score in the final preliminary leg a week ago — to the front as the field passed the stands the first time over the five-eighths-mile oval. Down the backstretch driver Tyler Smith felt it was Sectionline Bigry’s time to mount a challenge and the 3-year-old son of Pet Rock responded with a gritty back half going head-to-head with Mindtrip.

Just a neck separated the pair at the finish as Sectionline Bigry dug down deep to gain the slight advantage. Skyway Quinton (Charlie Conrad) was next best in the affair for non-winners of two races or $20,000 prior to the series start.

The winner is a homebred owned by Harold Lee and Harold L. Bauder. Steve Bauder trains the son of the prolific broodmare Aquatic Yankee, who has also produced several earlier stalwarts for the Bauder family.

Following a half-hour weather delay as a lightning thunderstorm passed through the area, the $22,500 Dr. Dan Farwick Memorial Trot final, for non-winners of six races or $60,000, went postward.

Conrad photos

Elmo Blatch won his fifth straight race, capturing the Dr. Dan Farwick Memorial Trot on Tuesday.

Upstart Elmo Blatch, discovered by owner-trainer David Lough just days before becoming an Amish buggy horse late last year, ran his win streak to five with a 1:56.3 triumph. Lough’s son, Tylor, was again in the sulky but changed tactics in this outing.

Despite going off as a 3-5 favorite, Elmo Blatch was not rushed to his customary lead, opting instead to take a seat fourth along the pylons in the early going. Following early fractions of :27, :56.2 and 1:25.2 by eventual show finisher Rose Run Spanky (Dan Noble), Lough angled Elmo Blatch out three-wide around the final bend.

After clearing the frontrunner, Lough’s charge confidently held fast-closing Starlight AS (Chris Page) at bay through the wire.

Racing will resume Thursday afternoon at Miami Valley with a special make-up matinee program at 2:05 p.m.