DAYTON, OH. – Gone Girl has had an outstanding 2019 harness racing season, earning just under $100,000, but never seems to get much respect at the betting windows.
Although she has won seven times on the year in 27 tries, the 5-year-old daughter of Dragon Again is usually dispatched at double digit odds and Friday night (Sept. 20) was no exception. At odds of 21-1, Gone Girl upset her peers in the $16,500 Open Mares Pace at Hollywood Dayton Raceway.
Driver Tyler Smith sat second behind pacesetting Allbeastnobeauty (Dan Noble) through fractions of :27, :55 and 1:22.3 before pouncing on the leader and overtaking her in mid-stretch. Gone Girl paced the mile in 1:51, her seventh sub-1:52 effort in her last eight starts for owner-trainer Mark Gillenwater.
Favored Up Front Flor Ida (Brett Miller) rallied from far back to capture the show bounty.
Racing resumes Saturday night (Sept. 21) at Hollywood Dayton Raceway with a 6:15 p.m. post time.
Gregg Keidel