Fingerpainter hangs in to win Niagara Stakes

It took the length of the stretch, but longshot Fingerpainter kept digging in and was up to defeat 1-5 favorite Absatootly by a head in the $50,000 Niagara Stakes on Monday at Finger Lakes.

Fingerpainter broke on top in the six-furlong sprint for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies, but Absatootly proved quickest and made the lead with Fingerpainter settling just off the pace. Second choice Fabulous Dream tried to come up inside Absatootly nearing the end of the backstretch, but couldn't get there and was eased back off the leader by jockey Jaime Rodriguez while saving ground.

In the stretch, Fabulous Dream again tried to come up inside Absatootly and got to within about three-quarters of a length of her before flattening out. But Fingerpainter kept grinding away on the outside under Gabriel Suarez and wore down Absatootly in deep stretch.

Fingerpainter, trained by Timothy Murphy, is now 3 for 8 with earnings of $71,627. She had finished second, beaten 5 3/4 lengths by front-running Fabulous Dream in a May 30 allowance sprint at Finger Lakes. A daughter of Nobiz Like Shobiz, she paid a generous $38.20 in the six-horse Niagara.

Absatootly set splits of 22.46 and 46.00, and 58.36. The final furlong went in 12.99, with Fingerpainter making up maybe a length and stopping the timer in 1:11.35.

There was a show plunge of sorts on Absatootly, who had $29,069 of the $35,065 show pool wagered on her. The total win pool of the race was $22,949 and the place pool was $9,236. Absatootly and Fabulous Dream both paid $2.10 to show. Fingerpainter returned $2.90.

Fabulous Dream finished third, three lengths behind Absatootly and 1 3/4 lengths ahead of fourth-place Beach Princess.