Sweet Mr Pinetucky at home at Miami Valley
February 23, 2021,Lebanon, OH — Sweet Mr Pinetucky prevailed in 1:53.4 in Miami Valley Raceway’s $22,500 Open Trot on Tuesday (Feb. 23) in 1:53.4, missing his career mark by just one-fifth of a second.
Driver Trace Tetrick hustled Sweet Mr Pinetucky to the early lead before yielding to last week’s winner, Workinitonbroadway (Josh Sutton), near the :27.4 first quarter station. With a pocket ride through middle splits of :57.4 and 1:25.3, the winner trotted willingly through the stretch once shown some daylight. Workinitonbroadway held for second, with Milford’s Z Tam (Mitchell Cushing) benefitting from a ground-saving trip to finish third.
With the score, the 7-year-old homebred son of Pinetucky increased his lifetime win total to 27 while increasing his earnings for owners Lester and Floyd Raber to $305,909. He returned $18.20 to win.
A pair of first-leg divisions of the Ray Paver Sr. Memorial Series, for trotters who have not won four pari-mutuel races or $40,000, were also contested. The quickest heat went to Miss Smead (LeWayne Miller) in a lifetime best 1:55.3, beating Deswanslittlelorie (John DeLong) and Swan Fashion (Tyler Smith). Coconut Kate (Randy Crisler) triumphed in the other division, topping Susie D (Brett Miller) and Just For Us (Kayne Kauffman) in 1:56.2. Trotting mares notably swept the first five spots in one division and the top three in the other.
Miami Valley will present a special make-up program on Wednesday (Feb. 24) with a 2:05 p.m. post time. Due to a two-day carryover approaching $4,000 in the track’s Pick-5 wager, the Wednesday pool will be guaranteed at $10,000, in conjunction with the United States Trotting Association’s Strategic Wagering Platform. Due to an abbreviated 10-race program, the Pick-5 will be comprised of races six through 10 and will start at approximately 3:40 p.m.