Saturday's seventh race $16,000 Open Trot at Tioga Downs featured world champion and multiple award winner Check Me Out as the heavy 1-4 favourite, but Fox Valley Smarty managed to pull off a 14-1 upset.
In the early going, Tioga Open regular Aruba Vacation left swiftly from the far outside and cleared easily to the front while posting a :26.3 opening panel. Check Me Out drifted from her outside starting position and settled in fourth.
As the Open trotters passed the stands for the first time, Ray Schnittker eased Check Me Out first over and began a slow march to the front as Aruba Vacation led them past the half in :56.
As the field turned down the Tioga backside, Check Me Out stalled third on the outside and had to be urged on by Schnittker, but to no avail as the field passed three-quarters in 1:24.
Check Me Out began to back through the field and eventual upset winner Fox Valley Smarty eased out from the perfect pocket trip given to him by driver Corey Braden, locked horns with, and wore down front-runner Aruba Vacation to win by a half-length in 1:53.4.
The win was the fourth of the year for the David Duspiva-trained Fox Valley Smarty and his 27th lifetime. The six-year-old Vaporize gelding is owned by Mark Goldberg of Washington and Purnel Jones of Greensburg, Pennsylvania.
(With files from Tioga Downs)