Velocity Tater and Sam Widger turned in an impressive effort to score the win in the $12,500 conditioned pace Monday, Feb. 21 at Miami Valley Raceway. The duo rallied home for the win in 1:53.2, a new lifetime mark.
Velocity Tater (inside) and driver Sam Widger were winners Monday, Feb. 21 at Miami Valley Raceway. Photo by Conrad Photography
Starting from post six in the seven-horse field, Velocity Tater moved toward the back of the pack as Nvrpoptdaplugs and Trevor Smith sped out to snatch the lead, posting fractions of :27.3 and :56.2 before feeling the pressure of an outside flow of traffic. Velocity Tater was able to get cover behind Hypnotic Dan, who was first over and leading the charge on the outside to the leaders. Around the final turn, Hypnotic Dan took over on the lead with Velocity Tater tracking him closely in the stretch and holding ground on the inside.
Rangers Z Tam and Jeremy Smith also began to rush home, but Velocity Tater was able to get to the wire first, pacing home in :28.3 for the win by a neck on the inside of Rangers Z Tam. Hypnotic Dan, another Indiana sired horse, finished third.
Velocity Tater paid $19.20 for the win. The four-year-old son of Rockin Image is trained and owned by Kerry O’Keefe, who has owned him since September 2021. Luckiana Farm bred the gelding, who earned his first win of 2022. Overall, he has five career wins in 21 career starts. He was unraced at two.
Velocity Tater is the son of So Long My Love, who took a mark of 1:52.3 and earned more than $165,000 during her racing career. The American Ideal mare is a 100 percent producing mare with Velocity Tater now her fastest. She has a two-year-old by Check Six named Some Happy Pacer for the 2022 racing season and will have a yearling colt, a full brother to Velocity Tater named So Into You, to sell this fall at the sales.
Velocity Tater was the third highest selling yearling by Rockin Image in 2019. Selling under the name of Stormin Justin, he brought $65,000 through the sales ring at the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale for the Luckiana Farm consignment.