Lebanon, OH — Gone Girl and driver Jeremy Smith captured the $30,000 Mares Open Handicap on Tuesday (March 29) at Miami Valley, The 8-year-old daughter of Dragon Again, who has now made 162 lifetime starts, bested Single Girl (Tyler Smith) and long shot Princess Rockette (Chris Page) — along with seven other junior rivals — in 1:53.

Gone Girl held off an inside rally from Single Girl to win Tuesday’s distaff feature at Miami Valley Raceway. Conrad photo.

While Gone Girl is no stranger to winning — she now has 39 career victories — her win broke a six-week streak of wins in the weekly distaff feature at Miami Valley by either Marloe Hanover or Rose Run Vision. Smith gunned Gone Girl to the front of the overflow field of 10 immediately, seating all adversaries during an opening :27.3 panel. Permitted a comfortable :56.3 clocking without challenges, the Mark Gillenwater trainee followed up with a :56.2 back half to rebuff all challengers. A half dozen of the remaining mares finished within three lengths of the winner as the field fanned out down the stretch.

Earlier in the day, a pair of second-leg of George “Red” Owens Memorial Series divisions determined the nine finalists for next Tuesday’s $22,500 final. The winners were Twenty (Chris Page, 1:54.3, $4.60) and Rocksette (Josh Sutton, 1:54.4, $18).

Twenty edged out Fear The Smoothie (Dan Noble) and Velocity Lola (Brett Miller). The Well Said filly captured her second ever pari-mutuel victory for the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, J & T Silva Stable and Knox Services. Rocksette rushed up the pylons to eek out her triumph over Always B Gigi (Tyler Smith) and Rose Run Galaxy (Page). Michael Johnson trains the Rockin Image filly for owners Kevin Miller, Brian Loman and Chad Wendling.

The Owens Memorial finalists, in order of series earnings, are: Always B Gigi, Rocksette, Twenty, Fear The Smoothie, Amy L, Rose Run Galaxy, Catamaran, Rose Run Wylie and Velocity Lola.

Racing at Miami Valley resumes Wednesday (March 30) with the usual 4:05 p.m. post time.