Aruba Vacation and Fern Paquet Jr. captured Sunday afternoon’s $16,500 featured Open Handicap Trot at Tioga Downs.
Leaving from post position number three, Aruba Vacation controlled the field through fractions of :27.3, :57.1, and 1:25.1. Around the final turn Paquet asked 'Aruba' to repel the first over challenge of All About Justice (Mike Simons), and he responded hanging on to win by a length in 1:55.
The victory was the third in 16 seasonal starts for Aruba Vacation, who returned $20.20 to his backers. Guy Howard trains the five-year-old homebred son of Dream Vacation and Dixie Hit. The win increased his seasonal earnings to more than $50,000.
All About Justice (Mike Simons) hung on for second despite the first over trip, while Green Day (Howard Parker) was third.
(Tioga Downs)