Taking advantage of a pocket trip, Icommandmyspirit ($5.50) kicked on in the final yards to defeat 6-5 pacesetting favourite Arodasi in Friday (September 4) evening's $14,000 Mares Open Pace at Tioga Downs.
The five-year-old Dragon Again mare out-sprinted K Js Caroline (Jim Taggart Jr.) and Southwind Trini (Jim Marohn Jr.) en route to the first turn, working clear through a :26.3 initial quarter before yielding to Arodasi (Mike Simons), who brushed aggressively from fourth with a circuit to go. Icommandmyspirit drafted along through a :55.3 middle half before John Cummings Jr. turned up the pressure on Arodasi off the far turn. The two duelled in upper stretch, with Icommandmyspirit ultimately prevailing in 1:50.1 by half a length. Southwind Trini held third off her tracking bid, while Mach It A Par (Dan Clements) failed to pose any threat throughout. K Js Caroline faded to finish last of the quintet.
Ross Croghan trains Icommandmyspirit for owner/breeder Cheryl Costello.
Jim Marohn Jr. led all drivers with four wins on the 11-race program. He reeled off a natural hat trick to kick off the evening, winning aboard Hercu Lindy ($6.70, 1:57), Twin B Alibi ($7.40, 1:56.3), and Frenchmen ($2.80, 1:56.4) before teaming up with Somedreamsomewhere ($6.20, 1:55) in the evening's ninth race.
(Tioga Downs)