Connie Hochstetler's Southern Girl battled resolutely to capture Thursday evening's $5,500 featured Miracle Mile event for distaff pacers at Vernon Downs, digging deep once headed off the far turn en route to a 1:51.4 victory.
Fern Paquet, Jr. cleared to the lead with the four-year-old Sportsmaster mare in the opening stages, out-sprinting Love You Bye (Jimmy Whittemore) through a :27.2 first quarter before relaxing the pace just a bit up the backstretch. Southern Girl was forced to accelerate on the far turn by the first-over The Filly Princess (Truman Gale) - the two dueled through a :27.1 third quarter with The Filly Princess working a head in front on approach to the home straight. Southern Girl responded in kind, forcefully repelling The Filly Princess in upper stretch and holding clear of a stand-side push from Jinxys Delight (John MacDonald) by 1-1/2 lengths. The Filly Princess faded to third.
Homer Hochstetler trains Southern Girl, who scored her fifth win on the season and the tenth of her career. She paid $5.90 to win.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday evening, with the first of nine races due off at 6:45 p.m.
(Vernon Downs)