Thistledown: Flip Side game in win

Flip Side, under Lori Wydick, defeated Nitty Gritty by a head in the $45,000 J. William Petro Memorial Handicap at Thistledown. Cho Chang finished third in the 1 1/16-mile race for Ohio-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Flip Side went up to prompt the pace three wide going into the first turn, showed in front briefly coming out of the turn, regained a slight lead before six furlongs, then was headed by Nitty Gritty at the top of the stretch. Nitty Gritty held as much as a half-length advantage until 40 yards from the wire, but Flip Side got up in time. Flip Side, trained by William Napier, got the distance in 1:47.26 over a fast racing strip and returned $5.40.