Nichols, N.Y. -- Mary Ann Larrimore's Believe This Bob
($15.00) made all the pace in Sunday (June 5) afternoon's $11,000 Open 1 Pace
at Tioga Downs, enduring poor weather conditions and staving off a pair of late
challengers en route to a 1:51.3 triumph.
Mike Simons pushed forward early with the 8-year-old Beach
Romeo gelding, forcing 3-5 favorite Fireyourguns (Aaron Byron) into the pocket
through a :26 first quarter and maintaining a blistering pace through middle
splits of :53.4 and 1:21.4. Heading to the far turn, Theseyesrcrying (Jim Marohn,
Jr.) mounted a first-over rally, dueling into second over a tiring
Fireyourguns. While Theseyesrcrying accelerated off the corner to sustain his
pursuit of Believe This Bob, the pacesetter dug in to just prevail over sloppy
going. Theseyesrcrying missed by a neck, while GD Airliner (David McNeight,
III) worked late into third off a second-over journey.
Joe Skowyra trains Believe This Bob, now a 34-time winner.
Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Friday (June 10)
evening, with post time slated for 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
