Tioga Downs: Dream Together with another stunner in Joie De Vie as Blais trainees finish first and second

The story coming into the $141,000 Joie De Vie for trotting mares on Sunday was Yannick Gingras sticking with Hannelore Hanover over Ariana G, but the story going out was Dream Together and trainer Luc Blais as the daughter of Muscle Hill pulled her second consecutive upset in a stakes event and Blais swept the top-two finishing positions.

Ariana G, driven by Tim Tetrick for the first time, shot to the lead and reached the opening quarter in 26 4/5, with Dream Together (Bob McClure) settling into the pocket. That two-hole position would then become a three-hole as Hannelore Hanover and Gingras moved from third to first past the opening quarter.

Hannelore Hanover would click off the half in 55 4/5 and the three-quarters in 1:24 1/5, with Broadway Donna (David Miller) unable to threaten her from first-over at that point. Caprice Hill (Doug McNair), Ice Attraction (Ake Svanstedt), and Blais-trained Emoticon Hanover (Dan Dube) were following the cover flow, while horses on the inside were in search of an escape route to the outside.

On the far turn Hannelore Hanover held on, while Broadway Donna continued to chip away on the outside. Further back, Emoticon Hanover surged three-wide in contention as well, and midway through the final turn Caprice Hill made a break in stride from second-over, and that was a key moment as it allowed Dream Together to get off the rail.

In the stretch Hannelore Hanover was looking for the line, but Emoticon Hanover was on fire on the far outside and Dream Together was able to find a three-wide seam to her inside. Dream Together and Emoticon Hanover would both overhaul Hannelore Hanover in deep stretch, and Dream Together got to the wire first, bettering her stable-mate by a head in 1:53 1/5. Hannelore Hanover had to settle for third.

Ariana G crossed the wire fourth, but was placed sixth for going inside pylons while in search of racing room in the lane. With her being moved back, Ice Attraction was elevated to fourth and Celebrity Ruth (Jim Marohn Jr.) to fifth.

"Coming in, we just wanted to get a good showing for her, and hopefully she would race good," said McClure. "We weren't anticipating the amount of racing luck we've had the last two weeks. That really helps. 100 percent Luc's got her on her game right now, and the other mare too. I didn't know if I would catch her down the stretch. She usually doesn't let too many by.

"I was in the three-hole behind the two favorites, so I was happy where I was. I thought I was in a good spot to get a good piece of it, but it worked out even better. She was able to shake loose, and when she did, she really responded. She can go for a piece really fast. Emoticon, she's tough as nails, but this mare's probably just a little bit faster. Two very different mares, but Emoticon's got the track record here, so I was surprised I got by her. Happy about it."

Blais trains Dream Together for owner Serge Godin and his Determination Stable. For Dream Together, who won the Dr. John Steele Memorial on Hambletonian Day at odds of 51-1, it was her 11th career win, and she has now put away $647,348. She was sent off at 13-1 today and returned $29.60 to win.