Armbro Approach shot up the passing lane in the final strides to take Friday’s $8,000 Open Handicap Trot at Scioto Downs for driver J. D. Wengerd and owner/trainer Jeff Miller
in 1:55.2.
The nine-year-old son of Mr Lavec scored his fifth win in a dozen starts this year. He’s earned almost $510,000 now in 86 career starts. He paid $7.40 to win.
Durgin Hanover took the early lead during the opening quarter in :27.3 and then yielded to Giulio before the half-mile post. Giulio continued to the three-quarters in 1:26 and looked to be a winner entering the stretch. But Wengerd moved Armbro Approach to the inside and driver Kyle Ater attacked on the outside with Hello Carlo.
The trio swept across the wire with Armbro Approach ahead of Giulio and Durgin Hanover.
In the $8,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap, Tu Tu Twain used similar tactics to win for driver Jeff Nisonger. She left the gate alertly, then yielded to Cat Burglar and sat on her back until the stretch.
Then Nisonger shot his mare up the inside to coast to victory while Danika Hanover finished strong to be second and Any Places Dream came on for third. Cat Burglar faded to finish fourth in the 1:53 mile.
The winner is a six-year-old daughter of Towners Big Guy and is trained by Chris McGuire for the Huggybear Stables LLC. She paid $9.80 to win.
(Scioto Downs)