Bound For Fame and Corey Braden got up in the final strides to capture Saturday night’s $16,000 Open Trot at Tioga Downs.
Leaving from post position number four in a field of seven, Braden got away fourth as Aruba Vacation (Fern Paquet Jr.) took the field by the opening quarter in :28.2. As the field went by the three-eighth’s mile mark of the race, Braden edged Bound For Fame to the outside, but was quickly put in the second over position by Flex The Muscle (Phil Fluet) past the half in :57.4.
Down the backside Paquet and Aruba Vacation attempted to get separation from the field through a third quarter in :27.4, reaching the three-quarters mark in 1:25.3. Around the final turn, a pesky Flex The Muscle would not go away on the outside and was towing Bound For Fame into it with every step. Down the stretch, Braden went to work on Bound For Fame and finally collared Aruba Vacation in the final strides to win by a head in 1:55.3.
The win was the sixth of the season for the six-year-old son of SJs Photo, owned by Rags To Riches and Mark Goldberg, both of Pennsylvania. David Duspiva recorded his eighth training victory of the season at Tioga Downs with the victory, and Bound For Fame increased his seasonal earnings to more than $109,000.
Jim Meittinis, Jim Marohn Jr., and Jim Taggart each posted driving doubles on the night’s 12-race card.
Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Sunday, July 14 with a post time of 1:30 p.m. featuring pig and wiener dog races during the 11-race card.
(With files from Tioga Downs)