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Anndrovette wins Artiscape



Bettor Sweet (Bettor’s Delight) blitzed the competition Sunday afternoon in the $208,000 Bettor’s Delight Stakes sponsored by Blue Chip Farms at Tioga Downs. Bettor Sweet blistered the mile in 1:48.1, establishing two records.



It was the fastest all-age mark at Tioga, and a world record for an aged gelding on a five-eighths mile track.



He was that good.



Dan Dube was at the lines as Bettor Sweet took the lead from We Will See (W estern Hanover) as the field headed past the stands the first time. The 6-year-old gelding was on the muscle as he clicked off fractions of 54.2 and 1:21.



Foiled Again (Dragon Again), the top-ranked older pacer this season, tried to launch a first over bid, but never got within Bettor Sweet’s wheel. The major danger to the pacesetter--We Will See--was sitting in the pocket with Ron Pierce in the sulky. We Will See swarmed after the leader turning for home, and at a point looked like a blow-by winner.



But even after that punishing pace, it wasn’t going to happen this afternoon, as Bettor Sweet dug in by three quarters of a length for his 18th career win and fourth this season for the Cancellieres, John and Tom. Giddy Up Lucky got third. “It was a big effort,” Dube said. “He really came back at the end. It surprised me. He’s a game horse that likes to race”. Bettor Sweet paid $10 to win.




Anndrovette (Riverboat King) captured a second straight stakes Sunday afternoon, winning the $178,000 Artiscape Open Mares Pace sponsored by Brittany Farms Management at Tioga Downs. It was a sharp follow up on her victory in the $150,000 Betsy Ross at Harrah’s Chester on May 29. The times for both stakes were an identical 1:49. 4, equaling her lifetime best. The clocking also equaled the Tioga track record for a 4-year-old pacing mare, set by Dreamfair Eternal (Camluck) last season.



Anndrovette had her work cut out in the Artiscape, ranging up first over before clearing the lead from Chancey Lady (Camluck) down the backside. Once in charge, Androvette was clearly in command. She needed only mild encouragement from driver George Brennan through the lane to score her fifth win in nine starts this year for Jeffrey Bamond, Joseph Davino and Mark Kesmodel, who handles the training.



“I pulled her just as we straightened up and cover was coming behind me,” Brennan said. “She just kind of inched her way up there. Once she cleared, she was good but a little lazy. I got into her a little bit at the top of the lane.”



Ticket To Rock (Rocknroll Hanover) came on to get second, 1 1/2 lengths behind Anndrovette.



Laughandbehappy (Badlands Hanover), Ticket To Rock’s entrymate from the Ross Croghan barn, was third. Defending champion and 2010 champion older pacing mare Dreamfair Eternal had the misfortune of drawing into the second tier. She was buried in the early stages before closing considerable ground to get fourth. Anndrovette paid $4 to win as part of a three-horse entry with Shacked Up (Western Terror) who was fifth, one position better than Chancey Lady.