Elegant A and driver Tyler Miller won the $17,808 Fillies & Mares Winners Over Handicap Pace at Tioga Downs on Friday, July 18.
The 3-5 bettors' choice, Gias Surreal (Aaron Byron), retook the lead when Alabama Hannah (Jim Pantaleano) crossed in front at the :27 quarter mark. Meanwhile, Elegant A sat fourth through a :56 half then made her move going first-up heading down the backstretch. She raced alongside Gias Surreal at three-quarters in 1:24.1 and those two kept slugging it out down the stretch with Lady Saturn (Brett Crawford) joining the fray three-wide off cover. In the end, Elegant A prevailed in the three-across duel in 1:52.4, with a neck advantage over Lady Saturn while Gias Surreal settled for the show spot. She paid $7.30 to win as the 5-2 second choice.
Jeff Cullipher trains Elegant A, a seven-year-old mare by Somebeachsomewhere out of Spokeswoman, for owner Pollack Racing of Venetia, Pennsylvania. Elegant A earned her sixth win of the season in 21 starts and now has 25 career victories to her name.
Live harness racing returns to Tioga Downs on Saturday, July 19 with a post time of 6:15 p.m.
(With files from Tioga Downs)