Prairie Lee and Jim Meittinis captured Friday night’s $16,000 Fillies & Mares Miracle Mile 1 Open Pace at Tioga Downs for trainer Mike Deters.
Leaving from post position number one in a field of seven, Prairie Lee settled in fourth as Fiesta Camcun (Corey Braden) gave the cold shoulder to Brownsville Bomber (Fern Paquet Jr.) past the quarter in :26.4. The two continued their disagreement neck and neck by the half-mile mark of the race in :54.4. Brownsville Bomber began to pack it in as Fiesta Camcun tripped three-quarters in 1:22.1. Jimmy Marohn Jr. slipped Hot List to the outside from the two-hole and went three-wide around Brownsville Bomber, which allowed Meittinis to continue up the inside behind Fiesta Camcun. As the field entered the stretch, Hot List was beginning to fade on the outside and Meittinis squeezed Prairie Lee out in close quarters and got up to nip Fiesta Camcun on the line in 1:51.2.
The mile established a new lifetime best for the four-year old daughter of Spy Hard–Taylors Lady, who is shared in ownership by Laurie Lee Poulin and Mike Deters. The win was the fifth of the year in 14 seasonal starts for Prairie Lee, and with the win she increased her seasonal earnings to more than $35,000.
Tioga Downs’ leading driver, Marohn Jr., Meittinis, and Aaron Byron all posted driving doubles on the night’s 10-race card.
(With files from Tioga Downs)