by Dustin Ross, for Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY — Fire In The Hole and Mike Simons took a second leg division of the United Sound Pacing Series on Saturday night (September 1) at Tioga Downs.

Fred Brown Photography

Fire In The Hole rallied for Mike Simons to score in 1:54.

Simons sat the pocket behind heavy favorite Barolo Hanover through fractions of :28, :57.1 and 1:25.2, and edged him out at the wire in 1:54. It was the 11th win on the year for the 5-year-old Crisis Situation son, who is owned by Andrea Ann Hill of San Diego, Calif., and is trained by Jamie Sullivan. Barolo Hanover hung on for second while King Liam N got up for third.

In the second division of the United Sound Pacing Series it was Brian Mattison and Matrix’s Z Tam who scored the front-end victory in 1:54.4. It was the third straight win for the 4-year-old Cole Muffler son, who is owned by Maine Prime Time Stable and is trained by Paul Kelley.

Khifra Hanover changed tactics for the second leg of the Binghamton Mets Trotting Series and used a front end strategy to win by open lengths in 1:56. Howard Parker drove the 5-year-old Lindy Lane daughter for Jullianna Sue Edwards of Sacramento, Calif., and trainer Janine Waldron. It was the tenth win of the year for Khifra Hanover, who holds the Tioga Downs track record for older mare trotters with a mark of 1:54.3.

Mike Simons posted a grand slam on the night’s 12-race card, while Howard Parker ended with a driving triple.

Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Sunday afternoon (September 2) with a post time of 1:15 p.m.