Dr. M almost got there. The Indiana sired trotter moved up late and could not be separated at the wire with opponent Aunt Percilla in the dead heat. The top four horses were separated by one half length in the $10,000 conditioned event.
Dr M and Jordan Ross come up on the inside of Aunt Percilla for a dead heat win Thursday, Feb. 2 at Miami Valley Raceway. Photo by Conrad Photography
Starting from post four, Dr M was able to get right over behind Aunt Percilla at the start and follow along through fractions of :28.1, :58.3, and 1:27.1 Cash Hit and Josh Sutton had moved out at the half and led the outside charge but the top two held strong to their two spots.
In the stretch, Jordan Ross knew it was ready to move Dr. M up to challenge and found room on the inside. He caught up with Aunt Percilla and both trotters dug in gamely, hitting the wire together for the dead heat. MJ’slibertyvalance and Tyler Smith move up to finished third a neck back of the top two while Cash Hit held on gamely for fourth, just a half length off the winners.
Dr. M is trained by Jim Eaton. The six-year-old gelding paid $5.20 for the win. Jeff Burton owns the Mr Cantab son that was bred by Michael Bishop and Judy Lunsford.
Dr. M scored his first win of 2023 and his 10th overall. He now has more than $114,000 in earnings with his career best time taken as a four-year-old in 1:55.1 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park. The gelding, unraced at two, is the eighth of 11 foals from the Incredible Abe mare Donven Fury. Every one of her foals have raced with the exception of the two-year-old in 2022. Dr M is the only foal by Mr Cantab in the bunch. He is a half brother to Furiette with a mark of 1:56.0 and $197,000 on her card. He is also a half brother to Euro Classic (1:55.2, $233,000) and Escuela (1:53.4, $281,000).
Another Indiana winner on the card was Round Here Buzz in the $18,000 conditioned event. The five-year-old son of Aracache Hanover, driven by Brandon Bates, took over after the quarter in :27.2 and never looked back, pacing home in :28.2 for the win by one and three-quarter lengths in 1:53.0. Indiana sired Alwaystellthetruth and Sam Widger finished second over Chief Mate and Trevor Smith for third.
Round Here Buzz paid $7.20 for the win. The gelding is owned and trained by Perry Smith. He was bred by Terry Leonard.