Red-hot Ocala owner/breeder Tom McCrocklin added another rung to his recent string of successes with the latest victory by Fivefive Six Champ, who is steadily climbing up the ladder on First Dude’s $200,000 list.

McCrocklin is the breeder of the 7-year-old gelding who sold for $165,000 at OBS as a March 2-year-old. In a six-furlong, $25,000 starter optional claimer at Mahoning Valley, Brandon Taparra put the gelding on the lead in a :22.90 quarter and Fivefive Six Champ held it stubbornly the rest of the way. In the lane he held off trainer Jay Bernardini stablemate Trigger Point by 1 1/2 lengths, clocked in 1:12.70.

Fivefive Six Champ paid $3.80 and earned a check for $15,500, lifting his career total to $278,719 on a record of 14-7-4 in 46 starts. He’s 3-4-0 in his last nine and moved into 23rd place on the $200,000 list.