Lebanon, OH — Sectionline Bigry captured Thursday’s (Feb. 17) $26,000 Open I Pace at Miami Valley Raceway, recording his fifth top-three finish in as many tries this season.

Brett Miller got Sectionline Bigry away last through a :27.1 quarter mile over a rain-soaked strip before moving him third over during the second stanza — but still trailling at the :56 halfway point. Finding himself still fifth approaching the 1:23.2 three-quarter station, Miller guided his willing charge three-wide around the final bend and picked off every other hopeful, one by one, through the stretch. Blank Stare (Tony Hall) finished second, GD Western Joe (Chris Page) was third.

It was the 33rd career victory for Sectionline Bigry, a 7-year-old son of PEt Rock, who increased his lifetime bounty to $729,290. Steve Bauder trains the homebred for owner Harold Bauder.

My Hero Ron (Hall), another local favorite who has won over $1.1 million while racing primarily in Ohio for many years, was triumphant in the $24,000 Open II, beating favored American Dreamer (Page) and YS Mathis (Dan Noble) — wire to wire — in 1:53. The 10-year-old Dan Dubeansky trainee is owned by Brian Witt and now sports 47 wins, 47 second-place finishes and 46 third-place finishes in his illustrious 229-race career.

Two second-leg divisions of the Claim To Fame Series for $30,000 horses were contested to determine the nine finalists for a $35,000 championship tilt next Thursday (Feb. 24). Bluebird Recon (Trace Tetrick) narrowly defeated Bell I No (Josh Sutton) and Rockin Daddy O (Tyler Smith) in the first split in 1:51.1. Brian and Ira Wallach own the Tyler George-trained son of Net Ten EOM. Major Nemesis (Tetrick) was triumphant in the second split, giving leading Miami Valley driver Trace Tetrick and leading trainer Tyler George a Claim To Fame double.

The top nine money winners in the series preliminaries, who will match strides in the final, are (in order of winnings): Major Nemesis, Levi, Bluebird Recon, Bell I No, Ubuntu, Fox Valley Hustler, Voracity, Rockin Daddy O and Hoosier Celebrity.

Live action at Miami Valley returns Sunday afternoon (Feb. 20) with a 4:05 p.m. post time.