Nichols, N.Y. -- Owner-trainer Mike Sinclair's Heavenly Bet
($4.60, part of entry) overcame post 8 and controlled the terms through the
middle of the race en route to a 1:55 score over her stablemate Winners Over in
the $23,700 Gail's Diner Series Final on Sunday (May 22) afternoon at Tioga
Downs.
While Winners Over (Dan Clements) was away most sharply in
the field of eight, Scott Coulter gradually worked Heavenly Bet forward through
a :27.3 first quarter mile before clearing with just over a circuit to go. The
two would continue at the head of the field throughout, with Heavenly Bet
spared of pressure due to a failed first-over bid by Ghost Runner (Tom
Jackson). After intermediate fractions of :56.4 and 1:24.4 over good going, the
3-year-old Bettor's Delight filly faced a challenge from her stablemate on the
far turn. Heavenly Bet proved superior of the Sinclair pair, holding sway by
3/4 length. Well Shaded (Fern Paquet, Jr.) emerged out of traffic to take
third, while Shesgotthebeat--a winner in both her preliminary events--only
could manage a fourth-place finish after she was compromised by badly stalling
cover on the far turn.
The afternoon's other three featured events--an $11,000 Open
Pace and two $7,500 second-round divisions of the Nichols True Value
Series--all went to driver Tom Jackson, who led all drivers on the 13-race
program with that natural hat trick. Meadows invader Nitro Seelster ($4.40)
sustained a first-over push to reel in Believe This Bob for a 1:52 Open win,
while Fresh Cut ($44.80, 1:54.2) and Le Gambe ($4.30, 1:54.1) prevailed in
their respective Nichols True Value splits.
No one hit the 50¢ Pick 5, resulting in a $208.67 carryover
to Friday (May 27) evening's program.
Tioga Downs offers four programs next week, with a 6:30 p.m.
EDT first post on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and a 1:30 p.m. EDT Memorial
Day card on Monday.
