Manchego, Jimmy Freight win at Dayton

Dayton, OH –  Manchego not only won the $171,250 Dayton Trotting Derby over a talented field of older male trotters, the 4-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill obliterated the Hollywood Dayton Raceway track record and established a new world record for trotting mares on a five-eighths-mile oval on Friday (Sept. 27) night. The 1:50.1 clocking shaved a fifth of a second off the previous best by both Mission Brief and Emoticon Hanover.

Driver Dexter Dunn left the gate alertly, despite entering the Derby off a three week layoff. Manchego sped to the lead and showed her heels to the field through :26.3, :54 and 1:22.2 intervals. Widening her lead with every stride the $1.7 million winner increased her commanding margin to nine lengths at the culmination of her record setting mile.  Sent off as the second choice on the tote board, Manchego bested Fiftydallarbill (Tim Tetrick) and I Know My Chip (Jeremy Smith) and paid $5.80.

Nancy Johansson trains Manchego for owner Black Horse Racing of New Jersey.

In the $151,750 Dayton Pacing Derby, Jimmy Freight (Scott Zeron) upset a field that included five millionaires to capture the $151,750 Dayton Pacing Derby. The 10-1 longshot topped McWicked (Brian Sears) and Western Fame (Dan Noble) by a length and a quarter in 1:48.3.

Western Fame made the pace through :26.1, :53.3 and 1:20.4 splits before McWicked came calling around the final bend with Jimmy Freight in tow.  This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) joined the trio of combatants and it looked like anybody’s race until Jimmy Freight pulled away in deep stretch.

“I was hoping I could follow McWicked in this race and it worked out perfect,” said Zeron in the winner’s circle.  “Scott DiDomenico does a great job with this horse and I’m real happy for owner Adriano Sorella, who was here tonight.”

Jimmy Freight returned a $23.20 mutuel.