Tight Lines took the overland route to win the Open Trot at Dover Downs on Tuesday night (Feb. 11).
Home N Dry and race-favourite Joey Bats provided the early speed over a "sloppy" track with Home N Dry clearing command. Jack Vernon made a break after the start. Blue Bird Jesse got away third while Tight Lines was able to drop in fourth nearing the :27.2 first quarter. Home N Dry continued to lead the field through middle splits of :56.
Tight Lines rushed first over and the mare, Sheez On A Cruz, tracked from second over up the backstretch and took a narrow lead by three-quarters in 1:24, clearing command around the final turn. Joey Bats then angled off the pylons and took dead aim on Tight Lines in the stretch but went off stride nearing the final eighth. Tight Lines won by two and a quarter lengths at odds of 7/2 in 1:52.2.
Sheez On A Cruz passed Joey Bats nearing the wire and finished second. Joey Bats survived a Judges Inquiry for a violation of the breaking rule and finished third.
Tight Lines is owned by trainer Jeff Gregory, Jesmeral Stables and W.H. Richardson. Corey Callahan sat in the bike.
Major Occasion N looks to repeat in the Mares Open Pace in Race 11 on Wednesday (Feb. 11). First-race post time is 4:30 p.m.
(Dover Downs)