Coming into Saturday’s $350,000 final of the Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids, Bythemissal had five wins in six career starts.
In the one race he didn’t win, an Adios elimination last week, he finished 5 3/4 lengths behind Pebble Beach.
On Saturday, Bythemissal had his revenge.
Going off at 8-1, Bythemissal passed 4-5 favorite and 3-2 second-favorite Pebble Beach in the final quarter and secured the victory for driver Chris Page and trainer Ron Burke.
“Last week was the prep race,” Page said in a release. “I was really confident in how he came out of the race and how he finished. Ronnie said he had a great week this week, so I just needed to make sure I kept him out of trouble.”
The race started with River Ness jumping out to an early lead, but when he broke stride, the favorites — Beach Glass, winner of the Meadowlands Pace, and Pebble Beach, winner of the North America Cup — moved to the front.
Bythemissal began to make his move just past the half, pulled even with the leaders by the three-quarter pole and powered down the stretch for the 1 1/4-length win.
“At the half today, I thought, ‘If Chris can get wheeled up by the three-quarters, it’ll be on,’” Burke said. “My horse has the will to win. You get him close, he’s gonna get ya.”
It was the second Adios final win for Burke, who also won with Dorsoduro Hanover.
Beach Glass and Pebble Beach were second and third. Bythemissal paid $18.20 to win. 7-5 exacta paid $59.60 and 7-5-3 trifecta paid $111.60.
