Making her second start back off a three-month layoff, Somenicebeach ($5.20) invaded from Yonkers to take Friday (June 5) evening's $14,000 Mares Open Pace at Tioga Downs.
Mike Simons settled the four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere mare off pacesetters Tipitina (Corey Braden) and K Js Caroline (Jim Taggart Jr.), tracking loosely through a :56.3 half-mile before commencing a first-over bid with three-eighths remaining. Somenicebeach responded instantly once Simons moved her off the pegs, accelerating after Tipitina through a :27.3 third quarter before edging clear on the far turn. A length in front at the eighth pole, Somenicebeach was driven out to hold clear, staving off a stout late charge from Mach It A Par (Dan Clements) for a 1:51.3 victory. K Js Caroline held third off her tracking trip.
Owner Sophie Desroches trains Somenicebeach, now a 10-time winner.
Earlier in the program, a quartet of Spanish amateur drivers competed against a group of their American counterparts in a travelling Friendship Competition, with Agustin Mascaro and Jaume Bassa notching a pair of victories for the visiting team. Mascaro controlled the pace with My Sweet Mandy ($13.40) in a 1:55.2 win in the opener over the blind-switched Puff Mommy (Bernardo Jaume) and Diamonds Princess (Bassa), while Bassa came back to win the second with Simaz ($4.30), rating sensible fractions before staving off a late charge from Nowerland Nathan (Jaume) and far-turn pressure from Sand Wyndham (Miquel Vich).
“I guess it’s easy for us to say that the Spaniards had the best horses, but in reality, they out-drove us,” said USA team member Alan Schwartz. “Maybe we can return the favor when we race against them in Mallorca later this fall.”
On Saturday, the Spaniards will fly to south Florida for a three-race competition at Pompano Park against members of the Florida Amateur Club. On Sunday, they’ll head for home in Mallorca.
Live racing returns to Tioga on Saturday evening, with the first of nine live races scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Eastern time, shortly following the simulcast of the 147th Belmont Stakes.
(With files from Tioga Downs and NAADA)