After getting away second to last in the field of eight, Jim Meittinis floated the 5-year-old Yankee Glide entire second-over to track the cover of Bourbon Bay (John Cummings, Jr.) before pacesetter Its Payday Friday (Dan Clements) rated a :56.2 initial half mile.
"It's only his third start back in well over a year, so my plan was to lay off the early speed and pick up the pieces at the end," said Meittinis. "Being that this horse has such a will to win, I put him in the race late, and he did the rest."
Valley of Sin advanced into midfield with the aid of cover through three-quarters in 1:24.3, and was poised to strike as Bourbon Bay turned up the heat on Its Payday Friday through the far turn.
At the top of the stretch, Meittinis tipped Valley of Sin three-deep, and the response was instant. He kicked past the dueling leaders in mid-stretch, prevailing by a widening 1-1/2 lengths while in hand up to the winning post.
"When I tipped him off cover there was no urging–just a couple taps to keep him to task," concluded Meittinis. "The speed was all him."
Its Payday Friday held second, while Awsome Valley (Aaron Byron) held third up the pegs from his pocket trip.
Earlier in the program, Hannah Miller notched a win with Jacks to Open ($3.10) in a C. K. G. Billings Amateur Driving Series event, powering clear to a seven-length win over CSI What's My Name (Dave Yarock) and Insider Access (Steve Oldford) in 1:55.2.
Live racing returns to Tioga on Sunday (June 21) afternoon, with first post set for 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.
by James Witherite, Tioga Downs