The Ron Burke-trained and Yannick Gingras-driven Bettor N Better was electric in the first opening-heat elimination of the Jugette for three-year-old pacing fillies (Race 12), as the daughter of Bettor Delight fired home off a first-over trip and stopped the clock in 1:51.1.

 

Gingras and Bettor N Better started from Post 3 in the six-horse tilt and got away third. They sat back and watched as Triple V Hanover (David Miller) cut the opening quarter in :26.4 and led the field down to the half-mile pole in :55.

 

Gingras tipped Bettor N Better out for a first-over attack in the third quarter, and the duo was almost head to head with Triple V Hanover as the latter tripped the three-quarters of a mile timer in 1:22.4.

 

Bettor N Better ($17.00, $6.60, $4.20) was sharp and on her game through the lane. She fired home and was first to the wire in 1:51.1.

 

"She had a good shot," assistant trainer Mickey Burke Jr. said of Bettor N Better, one of four entries in the eliminations from the Burke stable. "They trained excellent on Sunday. We had them all out here and everybody trained really well. We thought she had a good possibility. With Yannick on her, and her time on the halves up in New York, we figured she would be really competitive.

 

"This is the best half (half-mile track) anywhere. She's already shown that she could do it on other halves, so it was just a matter of seeing how the race set up and it fit for her."

 

The Matt Kakaley-driven Southwind Roulette ($4.20, $3.40) finished second, while Moremercy Bluechip ($7.00) finished third. Wicked Little Mix, driven by Brett Miller, finished fourth.

 

Bettor N Better, Southwind Roulette, Moremercy Bluechip and Wicked Little Minx all advanced to the second heat of the Jugette.

 

Bettor N Better was bred by 4 Rose Stable of West Milford, NJ and is owned by Our Horse Cents Stables of Melville and Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc. of Wallkill, NY.

 

Bettor N Better has now won three of her 12 starts this season and eight of her 25 career starts.