Kyle Ater drove C R Hope to victory in the Fillies & Mares Open Pace at Scioto Downs on Friday, repeating her triumph of a week ago
. Both victories were scored with strong homestretch brushes. This time C R Hope was clocked in 1:54.4 after moderate fractions.
It was the fifth win in 23 starts for the daughter of Full Of Fun. C R Hope is trained by Harley Jolliff, who owns her partnership with Willie A. Hale. She pushed her career earnings past $220,000.
Shell I Attack, always fast away from the starting gate, set the pace for driver J.D. Wengerd. The field fell in behind her with C R Hope back in fifth place in the six-horse field. Mi Amada was the first to challenge the leader and Ater put C R Hope on her back. In the stretch, the mares surged toward the wire as a pack and it was anyone’s race. TTs Little Lass appeared to be the winner as the mares neared toward the wire, but C R Hope and Ater just kept coming on the outside and were first to the wire by a nose. TTs Little Lass held for second, her third runner-up finish in her last four starts. Shell I Attack held on gamely after setting all the fractions to finish third, just a head behind the winner, while Moiras Bliss was only three-quarters of a length back in fourth.
(Scioto Downs)