Driver Devon Tharps kept Ron Burke pupil High Flyin Filly flat off the wings of the gate and found a perch second-over off fast fractions to pounce and crush at odds of 21-1 in the $49,315 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Monday afternoon, June 9.
Leaving from the pylon post, Tharps settled his charge into fifth while 5-2 favourite Dandys Mercy (driven by Marcus Miller) pushed through a skirmish for the front to take the lead after a :26.1 first quarter. Pressure Cooker (Marvin Luna), who tried to push but took back for a seat in fourth, flushed back off the pylons as Tharps pulled High Flyin Filly out approaching a :54.1 half.
Dandys Mercy coasted up the backstretch as Pressure Cooker floundered on the rim, while High Flyin Filly waited to make her move until just after three-quarters in 1:22. There, she was joined by Anna Love N (Trace Tetrick) from third-over and Lyin Eyes (Joey Putnam) from fourth-over as they began their closing attacks. High Flyin Filly swooped forward and got the jump in the lane to stave off Lyin Eyes by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:50.3 with Anna Love N grabbing third. Millwood Bliss N (Peter Wrenn) emerged from a ground-saving trip for fourth.
A five-year-old mare by Domethatagain out of Live The Extreme, High Flyin Filly has now banked $482,145 for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. She won her 25th race from 86 starts and returned $45.78 to win in her upset.
Racing continues at Oak Grove on Tuesday, June 10 with a 13-race card headlined by a $20,000 USD Open 2 Trot in Race 11. First-race post time at Oak Grove is 1:25 p.m. (CDT).
(With files from Oak Grove)