Caris True paced away from her rivals to win the $12,000 Fillies & Mares Open II at Scioto Downs on Thursday evening. She stopped the timer in 1:53.2 for driver Greg Grismore to defeat Gale Storm and JLs Red Star.

Caris True rewarded her backers with a $32.60 payoff as she won at odds of 15-1 from post eight in the field of nine.

Virgil Morgan, Jr., the perennial leading trainer at Scioto, trains Caris True for the Smiling Pace Stable of Pennsylvania. It was the third win in 26 starts for the four-year-old daughter of Yankee Cruiser.

Favored Mi Amada and JLs Red Star battled for the early lead with brisk opening panel in :26.3. JLs Red Star took control, but when the pace slowed in the second quarter, Ocean Pearl went to the front.

Grismore and Caris True had been outside all the way but she attacked Ocean Pearl during the third quarter and took control by the three-quarter pole in 1:25. Caris True was the strongest in the final quarter and drew off to win by three lengths.

Scioto’s Thursday program was added to the 2012 season to make up for a program lost due to extreme heat in the summer. Racing at Scioto wraps up on Friday night with another program. Post time is 6:30 p.m.

(Scioto Downs)