The pari-mutuel prayers of the longshot players were answered earlier this afternoon at The Red Mile when Prayer I Am turned in a stunning upset to the tune of 83-1 in the $160,000 Allerage Farms Open Trot.
The four-year-old son of Like A Prayer knocked off the likes of Breeders Crown winner Corleone Kosmos, Maple Leaf Trot champ Arch Madness and the former Hambletonian winner in Vivid Photo en route to the biggest victory of his career.
Allerage Farms Open Trot
Prayer I Am, in rein to driver David Miller, was allowed to sit just off a sizzling early pace set by Enough Talk. Ron Pierce had that speedster at the quarter pole in :26.4, and they were quickly challenged by Corleone Kosmos and John Campbell on the way to the mid-way point.
The two trotting titans locked horns past the half in :54.4 and the continued to battle around the final turn before Corleone Kosmos started to plummet to the back of the field.
Enough Talk, who sailed past third station in 1:24.2, had a host of challengers coming at him from the backfield including Arch Madness and the pylon-skimming Prayer I Am.
The latter snuck through at the cones to win in a sparkling time of 1:51.4. Arch Madness rallied to finish in the runner-up spot and Enough Talk earned the show dough.
Kevin Thomas trains the 11-time winner for owner Roy Dobbins of Bryant, Alabama. It was the trotter's third win of the season in 13 tries, and the $80,000 payday lifted his lifetime earnings to $688,212.