Before a healthy Independence Day crowd, Antigua Hanover ($4.40) parried a late charge from Solid Queen to take the Friday (July 4) distaff feature at Tioga Downs.

The $11,000 Miracle Mile 2 Pace for fillies and mares featured a field of six, with Ideal Helen (John Cummings Jr.) dictating the pace early after clearing from the extreme outside. After rating a :56.2 half-mile, Brandon Simpson advanced first-over with 6-5 favourite Antigua Hanover. Midway up the backstretch, the four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere mare pushed clear of Ideal Helen, carrying Sinspirational (Aaron Byron) into second through a 1:24.3 three-quarter split. While edging clear by one and three-quarters lengths off the far turn, Antigua Hanover soon found herself in the sights of Solid Queen (Corey Braden), who rallied late off cover, but only could close to within a half-length of Antigua Hanover's 1:53.3 victory. Vla Faire (Mike Merton), also a beneficiary of late live cover, sustained a late bid to take third.

Amber Buter trains Antigua Hanover for Oldford Farms and Tyler Buter.

(Tioga Downs)