Ronald Mersky's homebred Railee Something thrusted over the $1 million plateau in career earnings with a pillar-to-post victory in the $33,000 Open Handicap Trot at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Tuesday afternoon (May 20).
Leaving from post eight, Railee Something (driven by Joey Putnam) pushed forward and took the top from 5-2 favorite DP Freedoms Chrome (Marvin Luna) moving past a 26 3/5 first quarter. Putnam slowed the tempo to a 56 3/5 half, which readied his charge for the first-over push coming from Keg Stand (Jeremy Indof) in the backstretch. Railee Something stepped past three-quarters in 1:24 3/5 and held her ground all through the turn and the stretch to notch a 1 1/4 length win in 1:53 3/5. DP Freedoms Chrome took second from Keg Stand in third while Oh Look Magic (Trace Tetrick) sat a ground-saving trip for fourth.
A winner in 24 races from 54 starts, Railee Something has now banked $1,004,196. Roger Cullipher trains the 5-year-old mare by International Moni. She paid $11.14 to win.
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Trainer Erv Miller scored a hat trick on the 13-race card, teaming for each win with driver Atlee Bender. The pair first scored in race four with Shezahungrygigi (1:54 winning mile; $2.98 to win), then returned to the winner's circle in race nine with Number Cruncher (1:52 1/5; $3.12) before completing the hat trick with Wickenburgh (1:56 1/5; $4.22).
Racing continues at Oak Grove with a special card of racing on Sunday (May 25) starting at 1:45 p.m. (CDT).
--press release (Oak Grove)--