Prairie Fortune ($4.10) stalked second-over cover en route to his third straight Open win in Saturday (July 30) evening's $11,000 featured trotting event at Tioga Downs.
The four-year-old Arapa Victory gelding once again raced from off the pace, settling last but one in the initial stages as early pacesetter Dragin The Wagon (Fern Paquet Jr.) yielded to Its Payday Friday (Ronnie Morales III) after a :29 first quarter. Its Payday Friday accelerated mildly upon taking charge, forced to maintain that acceleration by the first-over Rossini (Scott Coulter) through a :57.1 middle half.
Rossini kept the pressure on in earnest through the far turn, and Prairie Fortune geared up upon cornering as he did in his two previous wins. Jim Meittinis worked Prairie Fortune to the fore just in time, prevailing by a neck over Dragin The Wagon--who re-emerged from the pocket--in 1:56.1 over sloppy going. Its Payday Friday was a worn-down third.
Trainer Mike Deters co-owns Prairie Fortune with Laurie Poulin.
In the $13,000 Summer Claiming Series final for pacing mares, Juxta Antz Pantz held sway for a 10-1 upset over Delta Dawn Hanover in 1:55.4. Kyle DiBenedetto vacated the pocket with the four-year-old Four Starzzz Shark mare with a circuit to go to control the terms, and ultimately held clear of the late-rallying Delta Dawn Hanover (Jim Taggart Jr.) by a length. My Sweet Mandy (John Cummings Jr.) rallied from far off the pace to take third, missing by one and three-quarter lengths. Daniel Gill trains Juxta Antz Pantz for owner Adam Friedland.
(With files from Tioga Downs)