Tioga: Backstreet Shadow goes down the road in Roll With Joe

A field of 10 made it complicated for some but rather easy for others in Sunday's $164,000 Roll With Joe at Tioga Downs. The race was quite simple for Backstreet Shadow, who went down the road virtually unthreatened to a 1:49 romp for driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Ron Burke. As for last year's top sophomore pacer Bettor's Wish, the first start of his 2020 season would be an effort in futility, followed by a typical game rally that earned him a noble third-place finish.

The dash to the front saw This Is The Plan, Backstreet Shadow and None Bettor A leave quickly, with Tetrick getting the front ahead of stablemate This Is The Plan, as Andrew McCarthy willingly tucked third well before the 26 2/5 opening quarter. As the field passed in front of the stands, Tetrick had control of his horse, but Highalator and Richard Still, who had left from post eight, were stalled on the outside blocking the flow of American History behind him and Bettor's Wish in third-over position. The traffic on the outside allowed Tetrick to back the half to 54 2/5 and prepare for any second-half challengers.

McCarthy pushed None Bettor A to attack coming off the second turn while American History had to make a wide move to get around stalled cover, followed by Bettor's Wish. While None Bettor A gutted it out in attack-mode, Bettor's Wish would again be stalled when American History called it a day midway on the backstretch.

Backstreet Shadow paced a 26 4/5 third quarter and kept his advantage easily through the stretch, closing in 27 4/5 for the victory. None Bettor A held determinedly late, keeping a head in front of Bettor's Wish, who finished valiantly for third. This Is The Plan held on to the fourth spot.

For Backstreet Shadow, it was his fifth win in seven starts in 2020 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, L. Karr, J. & T. Silva and Purnel & Libby Partners.

In New York Sire Stakes action on the Tioga Downs program, Love A Good Story scored handily in 1:53 in the first $55,000 division for sophomore trotting fillies. Andy Miller guided the filly by Chapter Seven.

Hypnotic AM effortlessly captured the second NYSS $55,000 division in 1:54 2/5 for driver Brian Sears and trainer Marcus Melander. The New York Sire Stakes 2019 juvenile filly champion made a successful 2020 debut and gave her sire Chapter Seven a sweep of the legs on Sunday.