Lebanon, OH — Swan Chase and driver Trace Tetrick narrowly defeated Pass The Vape (Trevor Smith) and Lane Of Stone (Dan Noble) in Tuesday’s (Jan. 12) featured $22,500 Open Trot at Miami Valley. The 1:53.4 clocking was the quickest thus far of the eight-day-old 2021 meet.

Swan Chase won the $22,500 Open Trot at Miami Valley on Tuesday in 1:53.4. Conrad photo.

The winner was on top at the quarter-mile marker, but yielded to last week’s winner, Workinitonbroadway (Chris Page), shortly thereafter. A first-over bid by Pass The Vape had Swan Chase pinned in the pocket when the full 10-horse field reached the three-quarter beam, but Tetrick found room coming off the final bend and assumed command early in the stretch. From there, it was up to the 7-year-old son of Swan For All to hold off the persistent Pass The Vape, which he did. The victory was the 30th of Swan Chase’s career and pushed his earnings to $547,517. Luis Quevedo trains the victor for owner John Barnard.

Four divisions of first-leg action in an $8,000 Claim To Fame series for male pacers also went to post, as did a pair of divisions for $12,500 mares in a similar series.

Believeinthespirit (Dan Noble) won the quickest split for the $8.000 hopefuls by stopping the clock in 1:53.4 and returning $5.60 to win. Other winners were Gallery Opening (Noble, 1:54, $10.00), Tyber Tyke (Tetrick, 1:54.2, $6.20) and Cool Like That (Page, 1:55, $10.60). Nine of the 40 combatants were claimed from the initial leg, including Believeinthespirit and Gallery Opening.

Bellini Seelster (Josh Sutton) captured the fastest division of $12,500 distaff races in 1:54.2, returning $2.60 as the heavy favorite. Glenferrie Bronte N (Billy Mann, 1:55.1, $20.00) copped the other division. Bellini Seelster, a winner of eight of her last nine races, was the only mare collared via the claim box.

Racing resumes at Miami Valley on Friday afternoon (Jan. 15) with a 4:05 p.m. post time.