Co-featured trotting events

Diamond Dagger, the courageous six year-old daughter of ABC Garland, trotted her mile–and 25 yards–in 1:56.3 in the Open featuring the mares after overcoming the outside nine post position and a journey that never allowed her to see the inside part of the five-eighths mile racing oval.

 

Driver Peter Wrenn was in the bike for the photo finish win measuring a scant nose over Vicki All, driven by J D Yoder. JS Foxy Lady, closing fastest of all for Ricky Macomber, Jr., finished third while She's All In, prominent from the get-go, was fourth. Modern Mercury picked up the nickel in the classy field of nine.

 

At the outset, She's All In, handled by Rick Plano, took command at the opening bell with Vicki All also on the prowl and assuming command at the opening station in :28. A TC Queenie was next, but on the outside looking in with Diamond Dagger following her dull cover.

 

After Vicki All reached the half way marker in :57.1, Diamond Dagger found herself backed up a bit and forced to go on a double-bubble binge with three-eighths remaining, reaching second around the final bend and just a length back of Vicki All.

 

Turning for home, Vicki All and Diamond Dagger fought tooth and nail trading punches right through the wire with the photo finish camera being put to the test to decide the winner.

 

After the race, driver Peter Wrenn had high praise to Diamond Dagger relating, "Wow! What a trip she went. I kind of half left out of there looking for a spot somewhere closer up but there was nothing there so I had to be content to follow whatever cover I could find.

 

"My mare doesn't mind the outside air and she can swallow a lot of oxygen. When the cover stalled on the backside, I had to send her wide and she responded with her usual gritty performance. Both mares were great tonight and I was lucky that mine was a nose better, that's all. Now that I think of it, her performance was even better since she hadn't raced in a couple of weeks."

 

 

Off as the lukewarm favorite, Diamond Dagger, who was 5 to 2 in the morning line, went post-ward at 3 to 1 and paid $8.20 to win.

 

Roughly 18 minutes after the "official" sign was posted for that event, the boys were in the spotlight and Katch Kanna, smartly handled by Wally Hennessey, "K"aught his five rivals off guard with a 1:55.4 triumph, going gate-to-wire in the process. Sooo Handsome was a fast closing second for Rick Plano, out-gunning the 1 to 5 favorite, Prairie Fortune, with Jim Meittinis, for the place spot. Pocket Trip was fourth with Uncle Hanover completing the order in this quintet.

 

Katch Hanna, a five year-old son of Lucky Chucky pushed the wings out of the way at the start and clocked panels of :28.4 and :58 before thwarting all challengers with a :28.1 third panel that left him with a clear lead turning for home.

 

A :29.3 finale sealed the deal by three-parts-of-a-length.

 

In a post race interview, Hennessey said, "I thought, let me try something new here and leave a little and see where we go. Last week, the leader got to the half cheap and won, so I thought, why not tonight?

 

"When we got to the half in :58, I really thought we'd have a chance to go all the way or, at least be high up. It just went our way tonight, that's all."

 

 

Off at second choice at 5 to 1, Katch Kanna paid $13.40 to win.

 

Racing continues on Saturday night with the Italian-American Friendship Challenge being contested in three events with the finale set for Sunday night.

 

Saturday night's Super Hi-5 has a carryover of $94,372, a season high.

 

Post time is set for 7:20 p.m.