Lebanon, OH — The Bethinator (Tyler Smith) is on quite the roll on the southwest Ohio circuit, copping her third Mares Open in her last four tries with a 1:52 win in the Friday (Jan. 8) feature at Miami Valley Raceway.

The 4-year-old daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, dispatched as the second choice in the betting, returned $6.40 to win after defeating Summer Charm (Josh Sutton) and Sugar Dance (Brett Miller) in the $22,500 event. Nelson Willis conditions The Bethinator for the Megan Rogers Racing Stable.

The popular Miami Valley Claim To Fame Series lifted off on Friday night with $20,000 pacing mares competing in three divisions and $12,500 male pacers featured in six splits.

The trio of distaff claimers, going for $20,000 purses, were won by M E Radar Girl (Trace Tetrick, 1:55, $4.00), American Cheer (Josh Sutton, 1:53.2, $11.80) and Malnificent (Tetrick, 1:52, $17.40. Five mares were purchased via the claim box for a total of $120,000, although none of the winners were among them.

In the six $12,500 male divisions, the winners were Armabluechipboy N (Kayne Kauffman, 1:54, $69.60), J M Jet Set (Dan Noble, 1:53.1, $4.60), Giuseppe Mollusca (Noble, 1:55.1, $8.60), Panoramic View (Tetrick, 1:54.4, $5.80), Sprinter N (Chris Page, 1:54.3, $4.80) and Persistent Threat A (Page, 1:56, $3.20). Fourteen of the 54 hopefuls that went to post in the first leg were claimed and will race for new owners in the second round.

Chris Page topped all drivers on the program with five trips to the winner’s circle. Leading driver Trace Tetrick had a triple, while Dan Noble and Josh Sutton each fashioned driving doubles. Sutton is now just three tallies away from the 5,000-win plateau.

Racing resumes at Miami Valley on Saturday (Jan. 9) with a 4:05 p.m. post time.