Yonkers invader Money Twitch A and Simon Allard captured Sunday afternoon’s $16,000 Open Handicap Pace at Tioga Downs.
Leaving from post position number five in a field of six, Allard settled Money Twitch A in fifth as Eastend Eddie (Keith Kamann) led the field through an opening panel of :27.1.
By the three-eighths pole, Greg Merton moved heavily favoured River Shark first over from sixth with Money Twitch A moving to the outside to draft his live cover.
River Shark was in a tough spot grinding first over through a :55.1 half before heading into the strong head wind by three-quarters in 1:23.4. Around the final turn, Allard tipped Money Twitch three-wide off of Merton’s cover and quickly stepped by the leader and opened up in the stretch to win by a three-quarters of a length in a career-best clocking of 1:52.4.
Recent News (Marcus Miller) followed Money Twitch third over throughout the mile and followed his cover to finish second while One More Laugh (Ray Schnittker), despite traffic problems, found room late to finish third. Last week’s winner Windsum Callum (Aaron Byron) nailed down the fourth spot while River Shark with the tough trip could do no better than fifth.
Money Twitch A, trained by Rene Allard, was claimed from a $40,000 claiming race on April 8 at Yonkers Raceway by Anatolia Racing Stable Inc. and Allard Racing Inc. The win was the eight-year-old Life Sign gelding's first in four starts for his new connections.
(With files from Tioga Downs)