Shuffled to last at the top of the stretch, Itstimeformetofly ($27.40) found room to hook to the grandstand side in the final eighth of a mile, rallying to a 1:53 victory in the featured $7,300 conditioned pace for fillies and mares on Thursday (October 30) evening at Vernon Downs.
The six-year-old Cheyenne Rei mare secured the pocket between dueling leaders Always Flashn (Frank Davis) and Spotlight On (John MacDonald) through a scorching :26.1 initial quarter, left to track the pair from third on the backstretch. As Bring Them Home (Justin Huckabone) commenced a first-over bid on the entry to the far turn, Itstimeformetofly found herself hard-pressed for racing room, shuffled badly through the third quarter.
Relegated to last off the corner, Fern Paquet, Jr. hooked four-wide with Itstimeformetofly, charging up alongside mid-stretch leader Thats My Dream (Jimmy Whittemore), who took the lead after kicking cover. Itstimeformetofly continued on to take charge in the final yards, prevailing by three-quarters of a length over Thats My Dream. Always Flashn, also a victim of traffic trouble, re-rallied to save third after steadying hard mid-stretch.
Scott West trains Itstimeformetofly for owner Marie Roberts.
Paquet and Truman Gale each scored three wins on the evening's 10-race card.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday (October 31), with the first of 11 races scheduled for 6:45 p.m. EDT.
(Vernon)