Feel Like A Fool made the first start of his sophomore campaign a winning on Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs in the lone division of the John Simpson Memorial stakes for three-year old colt and gelding pacers

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Howard “Pacin” Parker picked up the drive on the son of Art Major-Fool That I Am for trainer and co-owner George Teague, Jr. Parker settled the colt in sixth as Bittersweet Champ and Matt Kakaley powered through the opening quarter of :26.3. Feel Like A Fool and Parker wasted no time and moved off the rail as they passed the fans and the stands the first time around picking up cover from Thomas J and Jason Bartlett out of third. The field still led by Kakaley tripped the half mile mark in :56.3 and as they straightened out down the backside Parker sent Feel Like A Fool three wide past a stalled out Thomas J to clear the field by three quarters in 1:24.3.

Feel Like A Fool quickly opened up a 10-length lead on the field, and as they turned for home Parker had the engine off and coasted home an open length winner in 1:54 over a sloppy, rain-soaked track. Mats Delight and Ray Schnittker used a ground-saving pylon journey to shake late for second, while Daughtry Hanover and Jeff Gregory nailed down the show spot.

“This colt has some serious speed, when I tipped him three wide on the backside it was just like an explosion and off he went” said winning driver Howard Parker in the winner’s circle following the win.

In the lone $52,324 division for pacing fillies a field of eleven scratched down to ten lined up behind the starting gate. The pace was plenty in the first half of the mile as Hi Maintenancechic, JK Owhatanite and Say Anything all steam rolled from the gate looking for early positioning. Once the field was lined up Hi Maintenqancechic retook through opening fractions of :26.1 and :55.2 with first over pressure from Song In A Major and Jim Taggart, Jr.

As the field paced down the backside Kakaley was sitting third over with Character Flaw and sent the filly three wide with a serious speed brush picking up horses as they pleased passing three quarters in 1:24.3. The only real threat around the final turn seemed to be Asteria Blue Chip and Ed Hensley following Character Flaw, but she could not get to the leader and had to settle for second. The mile of 1:53.4 established a new seasonal best for the daughter of Bettors Delight-Artoonist for trainer Joe Caraluzzi.

Both Simpson winners Feel Like A Fool and Character Flaw are eligible to next week’s Empire Breeders’ Classic eliminations at Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon (1:30 pm) with the $250,000 finals going on Sunday, May 29 with a 6:50 pm post time.

(Tioga Downs)