After sustaining an early push to the lead, The Filly Princess ($5.90) held off a late charge from her pocket rival to take Friday (June 26) evening's $10,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace at Vernon Downs.

After Express Jet (John MacDonald) split Love You Bye (Jimmy Whittemore) and Tiger Boudoir (Truman Gale) to establish the early lead in a :27.4 first quarter, Frank Davis charged to the front with The Filly Princess. The seven-year-old Bettors Delight mare caught a :58.2 middle half breather, digging in off the far turn to stave off a late charge from pocket rival Express Jet. The Filly Princess prevailed by half a length, holding firm for a 1:53.3 triumph. Tiger Boudoir stayed on off a ground-saving trip to take third.

Andy Gardner trains The Filly Princess for Standardbred Ventures Inc.

Davis scored a driving double on the evening's 10-race program, as did Joe Nassimos.

Mach It A Par Wins Tioga Feature

Taking advantage of live cover and a contested early pace, Mach It A Par ($3.80) passed all six of her rivals to take Friday (June 26) evening's $10,000 featured distaff pace at Tioga Downs.

Dan Clements settled the five-year-old Mach Three mare at the back of the pack as Purity (Jim Meittinis) worked to clear fellow leavers Smokin N Grinin (Mike Simons), K Js Caroline (Jim Taggart Jr.), and Stormunn (Aaron Byron) through a :26.3 first-quarter battle. With three-eighths to go, Purity gave way to pocket rival Smokin N Grinin, and Mach It A Par moved third-over to follow the cover of K Js Caroline and Stormunn on the backstretch, swinging three-wide well past a 1:23.3 three-quarters split. At the top of the stretch, Mach It A Par found her best stride, working clear of K Js Caroline in the final sixteenth to prevail by a widening one and a half lengths in 1:51.4. K Js Caroline held second, while Arodasi (Brandon Simpson) mounted a stand-side rally from the back of the pack to take third.

Clements owns Mach It A Par and Renaldo Morales III handles the training duties.

In addition to his victory in the feature, Clements teamed up with Purple N Gold ($3.60, 1:54), Shutthefrontdoor ($4.40, 1:51.4), and Flashy ($13.40, 1:54.2) to lead all drivers with four wins on the 13-race card.

A pair of $6,000 second round divisions of the Tioga State Bank starter series were contested on the Friday evening program as well, with Philana Chalice ($60.50) drawing clear off a first-over bid for a 1:53 upset score in rein to Kyle DiBenedetto and Private Interview ($2.50) living up to odds-on billing for a handy 1:52.4 win under Corey Braden.

(Vernon Downs/Tioga Downs)