It seems only fitting that on the day that Donald J. Trump was winning the 2024 presidential election, Exonerated Prez would finish second in a one-mile race at Mahoning Valley in the Republication state of Ohio, and the stewards would disqualify the winner and put up Exonerated Prez’s number.

    The 6-year-old First Dude gelding bred by Donald Dizney was locked in a head-and-head battle down the stretch with pacesetter American Nightmare when the 17-1 shot began to drift out, pushing Exonerated Prez to mid-track at the same time jockey Victor Fernandez’s whip was intimidating the Prez and rider David Haldar. The stewards took a long look at the stretch run from all angles and eventually took American Nightmare down after the two finished a head apart. 

    Exonerated Prez, a Kentucky-bred, has never raced outside Ohio and has now posted a record of 6-5-8 in 56 starts. He paid $7.20 and the check for $7,800 raised his earnings to $93,114; if he had remained in second he would have collected just $2,600 for owner Richard Genovese.