Sent directly to the front for the second consecutive week, Dan Clements's Its Payday Friday ($3.30) registered another pillar-to-post victory, drawing clear of his seven rivals in Saturday (June 6) evening's $14,000 Open Trot at Tioga Downs.
The five-year-old Kadabra gelding made all the pace with his owner at the lines, clearing B L Class Act (Jim Meittinis) through a :27.4 first quarter. He subsequently staved off a first-over challenge from Im Fabulous (Jim Taggart Jr.) on the backstretch, edging clear off the far turn after a :57.2 middle half. Its Payday Friday ultimately put three lengths on B L Class Act, proving a solid winner in 1:54. Massacaia (Phil Fluet) overcame mid-race traffic trouble to claim third, rallying up the pegs in the final yards.
Renaldo Morales III trains Its Payday Friday, who earned his fifth win on the season and the 14th of his career.
The weekend of harness racing at Tioga Downs concludes with an 11-race card on Sunday (June 7) afternoon. Post time is 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
(Tioga Downs)