In Thursday's Ohio Breeders Championship race for 3-year-old pacing fillies at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, Greg Luther Racing's Prolific Fire overcame the second-tier starting position and crushed her eight opponents by 10 lengths in a stakes record 1:51.
Austin Hanners got the winner away in an early third, took the lead past the half-mile station and cruised home ahead of The Word Is Out (Chris Page) and Anna Loves Bananas (Aaron Merriman).
The Catch The Fire filly took the lion's share of the $116,140 purse to push her career earnings to $267,445.
Rick Wink Victorious in Ohio Breeders Championship for 3YO Male Pacers
by Emily Cain
Under a confident drive by Chris Page, Rick Wink took the $116,440 Ohio Breeders Championship for 3-year-old colt pacers in 1:50 4/5.
Leaving the gate from post four, Downbythewater (Dexter Dunn) got positioned near the front, followed by Swingtown (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.). At the first quarter pole, Swingtown held the lead in 27 1/5 with Rick Wink parked second on the outside. Before they reached the halfway mark, Rick Wink grabbed the lead and went on to hit the beam in 55 3/5. Positions remained unchanged past the three quarters in 1:24 2/5.
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On the final turn, Swingtown made one final attempt to close in on his stablemate, but his late bid would prove unsuccessful as Rick Wink won by a head over Swingtown. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Downbythewater.
A son of Bit Of A Legend N, RIck Wink has won five of 11 starts this season and 13 of 20 lifetime. He has earned $589,970 lifetime. Ron Burke trains the winner for Burke Racing Stable, RAS Racing, Knox Services, and J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby.
Emily Cain participated in the United States Harness Writer’s Association’s Clyde Hirt Journalism Workshop, where she was able to cover the 100th edition of the Hambletonian. She is a junior at Ohio University, studying journalism and sport management.
--press release (Little Brown Jug Society)--