Mary Ann Larrimore's Believe This Bob ($15) made all the pace in Sunday (June 5) afternoon's $11,000 Open 1 Pace at Tioga Downs, enduring poor weather conditions and staving off a pair of late challengers en route to a 1:51.3 triumph.
Mike Simons pushed forward early with the eight-year-old Beach Romeo gelding, forcing 3-5 favourite Fireyourguns (Aaron Byron) into the pocket through a :26 first quarter and maintaining a blistering pace through middle splits of :53.4 and 1:21.4. Heading to the far turn, Theseyesrcrying (Jim Marohn Jr.) mounted a first-over rally, duelling into second over a tiring Fireyourguns. While Theseyesrcrying accelerated off the corner to sustain his pursuit of Believe This Bob, the pacesetter dug in to just prevail over sloppy going. Theseyesrcrying missed by a neck, while GD Airliner (David McNeight III) worked late into third off a second-over journey.
Joe Skowyra trains Believe This Bob, now a 34-time winner.
(Tioga Downs)