Tug River Dylan, stepping up a notch to the top Open class after a gate-to-wire win a week ago in Open 2 company, inherited his win, benefitting from a pylon violation in the lane by Andover America to advance a notch after finishing a neck back of the winner in 1:56.
As mentioned, Ingraham was in the bike back of the eight-year-old son of CR Commando, who used different tactics this time around, coming from last, seven lengths out of it early on, to grind away and reach within a photo finish of Andover America, handled by catch-driver Mickey McNichol, before the judges over-turned that finish after review.
After Tug River Dylan and Andover America, Permanent Joy (Kevin Wallis) was next, followed by Lugar with Illusionsndreams fifth in the quintet.
Lugar, driven by Tom Sells, blasted out of the gate and took the field through an opening panel of :27.4 with Illusionsndreams next, followed by Permanent Joy, Andover America and Tug River Dylan. With a lap to go, Andover America was out and rolling with Tug River Dylan catching his live cover and, halfway through the mile in :57.3, Lugar was feeling the heat from Andover America with Tug River Dylan just outside of Illusionsndreams.
On the backside, Andover America took charge and reached the third station in 1:26 and turned for home with a 1-1/2 length lead. Tug River Dylan was gaining in deep stretch, but Andover America was able to hang on to cross the wire first, only to have his 54th lifetime victory denied when the judges found that Andover America went inside three pylons in the stretch.
Instead, Tug River Dylan, owned and trained by Bob Dutilly, earned his 23rd lifetime success -- fifth this year -- to send his lifetime bounty to $126,771.
As second choice on the toteboard, the winner paid $5.80 to his $2 backers.
In Isle's Late Closer for pacers (non-winners $350 per start or $7,500 in 2014 as of March 22), Cascata turned back his arch rival in the series, Bridge Jumper, to eke out a narrow victory for Ingraham in 1:54.3 and claim the major share of that $8,500 prize.
The six-year-old son of American Ideal fought tooth and nail down the Pompano stretch to score by a neck over Bridge Jumper (Kevin Wallis) with Growly Gus (Tom Sells) next, almost seven lengths away. Stiletto Jake and Fox Valley Sly completed the quintet.
For Cascata, trained by Michel Plouffe for owner Elizabeth Zimmerman, it was his fourth win of the year in 19 starts, sending his bankroll to $19,376 this year and $90,240 career-wise.
As second choice in the betting, Cascata paid $5.40 to win.
Ingraham completed his personal trifecta in Isle's $8,500 Late Closer for pacers (non-winners of two pari-mutuel races as of March 22) as Pat Connor's Dreas Good Powow survived a tough first over journey to, first, collar the pacesetting Tough Issue (Tom Sells) and then hold off Sandalonia (Mickey McNichol) by three parts of a length in 1:56.
This four-year-old daughter of Squaws Fella, unraced at two and three, won for the third time during her first season of racing wars and this, her biggest payday, sent her seasonal and lifetime earnings to $16,053.
"...She's a tough little bugger," said Ingraham after the race. "She can grind and grind and grind and never quits. I think she's got her best days ahead of her...great attitude on the track and can really open your eyes in the lane. She was impressive tonight."
Again, as second choice in the betting -- as were all three of Ingraham's feature winners -- Dreas Good Powow paid $7.60 to win.
(Pompano Park)