After beating top company at Buffalo and Vernon, Fireyourguns scored his third victory in as many seasonal starts in Sunday afternoon's $14,000 Open Pace at Tioga Downs.
The five-year-old American Ideal gelding floated to the front early on, setting even fractions of :28, :56, and 1:23.4 while Mystical Valentine (Jason Ryan) chased from the loose pocket throughout. On the far turn, Aaron Byron called upon Fireyourguns to draw clear, and the response was instant, as the 1-2 favourite opened up to a 3-1/2 length advantage before reaching the top of the stretch. Prairie Jaguar (Jim Marohn Jr.) angled to the outside just off the turn to put in a late bid, rallying to be second, while Mystical Valentine was a tiring third. Fireyourguns was measured in the last sixteenth of a mile en route to a 1:51.4 win with plenty in reserve.
Trainer Terence McClory co-owns Fireyourguns with Jennifer and Robert Lowe.
Earlier in the card, the Jeff Sorenson-trained Golden Gun prevailed in the $11,000 Open II Pace, holding off a late challenge from the pocket-sitting Bettorsluckystreak to win in 1:55.1 in rein to Jim Marohn Jr.
(Tioga Downs)