The Ohio Derby - Cincinnati, OH
Consolation Heat
John Ruiz, Leo May, Bambi Rogers, Ed Smith, Joe Ramage, Steven Redden, Bob Alexander, Ben Hadsell, Dick Garrett, Will Murphy, Chris Henton, Randy Tondreau
Continuing his descent down the standings John Ruiz (9th Arizona Derby, 1st Ides of March, 8th Seattle Derby) has qualified for just one final out of the last thirteen, his appearance at the Bryan Family Open resulting in a pointless twelfth position. Obviously a big target as his elimination happened in quick order with nine hits against in less than three minutes.
Ben Hadsell (1st Frostbite, tied-2nd Summer National Derby, 2nd Texas Nationals) misses a fifth final out of the last seven after stalling out, and Bambi Rogers (6th Arkansas, 11th Bryan) is absent for a second straight week, this after qualifying for the first two times in back-to-back attempts, when Leo May had his revenge for a blindside hit by Rogers seconds before.
Nine-time finalist Steven Redden (tied-2nd Valentine's Day Massacre, 3rd Indy Nationals) misses out on a sixth straight appearance as another who successfully blindsided May, but it was that surprise hit which resulted in a stall-out, and Will Murphy, who had two finals (6th Firecracker Open, 5th Alamo Derby) in the last four weeks after the four-time podium finisher missed six in a row, became trapped in the barriers where he would remain.
The sneak attacks on Leo May (4th Wisconsin Invitational, 4th Idaho Invitational, 2nd Indy) weakened him enough that both Chris Henton and Randy Tondreau spotted his difficulty and combined their efforts to eliminate their opponent, and then Tondreau (6th Tampa Open, 3rd 3rd Firecracker, 7th Alamo) had no time to react to Henton's attack as the latter man quickly turned on his temporary accomplice.
Dick Garrett (6th Ides of March, 7th Wisconsin, 5th Seattle) has one final appearance (7th Indy) in the last fourteen rounds, this after he barely re-fired from a very long stall early on before Bob Alexander took no prisoners in his triple-attack on the fifth place man, but it was for naught as Alexander (6th Arizona, 3rd Lobster, 9th Texas) had Joe Ramage come around for a second attack of the heat, finishing him off.
Ed Smith qualifies for his second final of the season, a late stall not enough to stop him, as he strikes six different opponents, also extracting himself from an early encounter into the barriers.
Joe Ramage, entering his ninth final and second in three weeks, was more focused in his attacks as he struck Ruiz and Alexander twice each, Henton and Rogers suffering his wrath just the once. Also embedding himself into a sticky position, Ramage did miss a target but, like Smith, was able to free himself swiftly.
Finally, Chris Henton, made it a complete set of finalists who survived encounters with the track scenery when Garrett shunted him firmly into place. Henton's fortune came when Alexander was finished off as time was running down on his being counted out. Tondreau took two shots from him, four others just the one, and Henton himself, entering his ninth final and a season-high fourth in a row, took six good shots.
Race Result
Q. Ed Smith
Q. Joe Ramage
Q. Chris Henton
4. Bob Alexander
5. Dick Garrett
6. Randy Tondreau
7. Leo May
8. Will Murphy
9. Steven Redden
10. Bambi Rogers
11. Ben Hadsell
12. John Ruiz
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