Lying In Cash and driver Jason Merriman went a long mile in the Saturday night (June 17) featured $10,800 Open Handicap Pace at Northville Downs to win by a neck in a blanket finish in 1:55.4.
Seemingly a majority of the field left for the early lead, with Jets Sureshot and Letsnotforget settling into the top two spots early, which left Youmakemyheartsing and Lying In Cash parked two and three-wide, respectively, for most of the mile.
As they scrambled for position, the field went by the opening quarter in :27.2 with Jets Sureshot and Bart Stimer on the lead, with Art McIlmurray and Youmakemyheartsing in the two path. Lying In Cash was stuck three-wide before Jason Merriman could wrangle his charge back to a second-over position behind the aforementioned Youmakemyheartsing as they went to the half in :55.3.
In the push to a 1:25 three-quarters, Jets Sureshot was overtaken by Youmakemyheartsing in the stretch, who was then overtaken by a three-wide Lying In Cash at the wire with the top five horses separated by only a half-length. It was so tight that there was a dead heat for fourth between RJP and Coalfordbythesea.
Lying In Cash is bred, owned and trained in Michigan by Techia Lohmann and the win was No. 32 in his career and it pushed his lifetime earnings to $214,346.
Justin Irvine, Lindsay Moen and Kody Massey all had driving doubles on the night and Gerald Malady had a training double.
Racing at The Ville resumes Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m. (EDT). Friday night is dollar night featuring $1 live programs, $1 pop and popcorn, $2 hot dogs and beer and hamburger and cheeseburger specials.
(Northville Downs)