So Amazing and driver Frank Affrunti won the $8,800 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace at Vernon Downs on Friday (July 29).
So Amazing ($13.60) went straight to the front but So Diva (Justin Huckabone) took the lead just before hitting the first quarter in :27.2 and continued to the half in :57.3.
So Amazing popped the pocket as they headed to the final turn and she gained a short lead to three-quarters in 1:25.1.
As they made the turn for home, So Diva reclaimed the lead. The two mares were shoulder to shoulder all the way down the stretch but So Amazing used one last spurt to get the win in 1:53.4 leaving So Diva to settle for second a quarter-length back. Dream On A Roll (Truman Gale) finished third.
So Amazing is a four-year-old mare by So Surreal. The win was her first this season from a dozen tries. She now has 12 career victories and more than $213,000 in earnings. George Ducharme trains for owners Nancy and Domenic Longobardi.
Justin Huckabone and Barton Dalious each had driving doubles. Huckabone won with I Pay Your Salary ($2.30) and Jericho Willie ($2.90) while Dalious scored with Mittnage A Trois ($6.90) and Some Royalty ($10.20).
Live racing continues at Vernon Downs on Saturday (July 30) with a 10-race card starting at 6:05 p.m.
(With files from Vernon Downs)