Vernon: Torrisi toughs it out in Zweig Memorial for fillies

11-1 shot Torrisi picked up the biggest win of her career thus far, and did so in game fashion, in Thursday night's Grade 2 $135,000 Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old filly trotters at Vernon Downs.

Shes A Shoe In (Mark MacDonald) left from the outside post nine and got by R Lady W (Scott Zeron) to take the top spot past the 26 2/5 quarter, and then Torrisi (Yannick Gingras) made her way from third to first past that marker. Torrisi's bid was tracked by Voguish (Todd McCarthy), but Voguish went off-stride past the soft 56 2/5 half, which left favored What A Bid Hanover (Ake Svanstedt) in the first-over position.

What A Bid Hanover pressed on and was the leader on the outside at the 1:25 2/5 three-quarters but could never fully clear Torrisi. That was key as Torrisi was able to keep a clear lane on the inside in the stretch and forced a duel to the wire. Both fillies were game down the lengthy Vernon Downs lane, but Torrisi, who was second in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final last time out, hit the finish line a neck in front of What A Bid Hanover in a 1:54 mile. My Debt Collecter (Tyler Buter) was third, followed by Seventh Gen (Jeff Gregory) and Lasting Dream (Louis Roy).

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A daughter of Walner bred by Crawford Farms, Torrisi is trained by Nancy Takter for owners Pryde Stables Inc., John Fielding, Caviart Farms and Herb Liverman. She has a summary of 2-6-1 from 13 starts, has banked $293,100 and paid $24.20 to win.