Nichols, N.Y. -- Favorites eked out narrow victories in
co-featured $13,000 Open 1 events on Saturday (August 27) evening at Tioga
Downs, with Prairie Fortune ($6.30) and Believe This Bob ($2.80) both scoring
repeat wins.
Prairie Fortune, a 4-year-old Arapa Victory gelding, used
his customary tactics to overcome post 8 and capture his 23rd career victory in
the Open 1 Trot, carded as race four. Jim Meittinis angled Prairie Fortune
second-over behind Rossini (Scott Coulter) on approach to the backstretch,
subsequently moving three-wide off the far turn. Prairie Fortune accelerated
immediately upon cornering, mowing down pacesetter Its Payday Friday (Mike
Simons) in the last yards of a 1:54 mile. B L Class Act (John Cummings, Jr.)
held third from a pocket trip.
Trainer Mike Deters co-owns Prairie Fortune with Laurie
Poulin.
In the Open 1 Pace, Believe This Bob controlled nearly all
of the terms, brushing from the pocket with a circuit to go and digging in to
repel a late charge from Andreios Kardia (Aaron Byron) for a 1:50.4 score. The
8-year-old Beach Romeo gelding battled stoutly through the last 300 yards to
keep his pocket rival at bay, prevailing by a scant nose while That'll Be the
Rei (Mike Merton) stayed on for third.
Mike Simons drove the 39-time winner for trainer Joe Skowyra
and owner Mary Ann Larrimore.
Simons led all drivers with a hat trick, also teaming up
with Crime of Passion ($4.80, 1:51.1) and Gold Star Roger ($5.10, 1:56.3) on
the nine-race card.
Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Sunday (August 28)
afternoon; post time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
