Driver Mike Merton and trainer Gaston Lareau had a night to remember at Tioga Downs on Friday (Aug. 12).
Merton drove five winners during the eight-race card. He combined with Lareau for wins with Crystal Sparkles ($12.40), PL Notorious ($4.30) and Reticent Hanover ($3.20). Merton got his other wins with Original Smokey ($3.70) and The Charging Moa N ($3).
The evening's $9,000 featured fillies & mares pace was won by odds-on favourite A Better Game ($3.90) and Brandon Parker.
Gold Star Igotdis (Corey Braden) was first to the quarter in :27.3 but Rigginswind (Kyle Cummings) took the lead with a lap to go and was first to the half in :56.3. A Better Game came flying first-over down the backstretch and blew right on by to lead to three-quarters in 1:24.1. As they made the turn for home, it was all A Better Game. Gold Star Igotdis came all out but could only watch as A Better Game won by three lengths in 1:52.3. Donegalartchokin N (Mike Simons) finished third.
A Better Game (pictured above) is a four-year-old mare by Betterthancheddar. She is owned by Patrick Gregory and trained by Mike Watson. The win was her sixth this season from 25 starts and her ninth career victory.
Live harness racing continues at Tioga Downs on Saturday, Aug. 13 with a 13-race card featuring two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings starting at 6:15 p.m.
(With files from Tioga Downs )