Nichols, N.Y. -- Despite sitting last a quarter mile from
home, Drea's Good Powow had enough late pace to circle her six rivals in Friday
(June 24) evening's $11,000 Mares Open Handicap at Tioga Downs.
Trainer-driver James Hysell wanted no part of the early pace
with the 6-year-old daughter of Squaw's Fella, settling second from last as
Asset Management (Fern Paquet, Jr.) and Four Hour Nap (Jim Meittinis)
alternated on the lead through early splits of :26.4 and :56.2. As Four Hour
Nap faced intensifying pressure from K J's Caroline (Jim Taggart, Jr.) Hysell
moved Drea's Good Powow fourth-over from the rear of the field. Drea's Good
Powow swung five-wide off the far turn, circling the entire group in the final
150 yards as the pacesetting pair dueled into defeat. Goldstar Rockette (Corey
Braden) finished second from a perfect second-over trip, while lukewarm 5-2
favorite Shutthefrontdoor (Dan Clements) stayed on for third from third-over.
Patricia Connor owns Drea's Good Powow, now a 17-time
winner.
Trainer Shane Arsenault scored a hat trick on the nine-race
card, accounting for victories from Mittnage a Trois ($3.70, Scott Coulter,
1:55.4), Artiawitchtoyou ($5.30, Brandon Arsenault, 1:54.2), and Crazy Blue
($6.00, Coulter, 1:58.1).
The 50¢ Pick 5 evaded the Friday players, chiefly due to a
20-1 upset from Vacation Day (Tyler Freese) in the sequence. The carryover
mounts to $700.78 for Saturday's Pick 5.
Post time for the first of 10 races on Saturday's Tioga card
is 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
