Relegated to last in the early stages, the Harmon Racing Stable's Detroit Rapper ($23.40) circled four-wide to pass all six of his rivals in Saturday (May 23) evening's featured $14,000 Open Trot at Tioga Downs.
The four-year-old Jailhouse Jesse gelding took no part in the pacesetting proceedings, situated well off alternating leaders Sweet Justice (Aaron Byron) and B L Class Act (John Cummings Jr.) through a :56.4 half-mile. As 2-5 favourite Zooming (Brandon Simpson) applied steady pressure on B L Class Act into the far turn, Jim Meittinis angled Detroit Rapper three-wide to follow the live cover of My Muscleman (Mike Simons), fanning four-wide at the head of the stretch and showing immediate response. The Patti Harmon trainee kicked forward at once, gobbling up ground and drawing clear by a length in 1:55.1 to defeat B L Class Act and Zooming. Aruba Vacation (Tyler Freese), who was shuffled to last on the backstretch, rallied five-wide in the stretch to save fourth.
Dan Clements and John Cummings Jr. both earned driving doubles on the eight-race card.
Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Sunday (May 24) evening, with the first of 10 races slated for 6:15 p.m. Eastern time.
(Tioga Downs)