Outside closers appeared to have a big edge over Wednesday's muddy-and-sealed track, and the outside still seems like the place to be in the wake of Thursday's early $61.50 double comprised of sprint winners Verse Choir (1st, $6.10) and Heavenly Pursuit (2nd, $13.40).
Verse Choir broke from the outside in a field of seven, rallied widest and edged Conga Bella under Jose Lezcano, as Allen Jerkens improved to 3-1-0 with his first four meet starters.
Heavenly Pursuit, who upped Seth Benzel's turf-to-dirt record to 8 for 22 in 2009-10, unseated John Velazquez in the post parade, then wore down favored Poivre's Girl, who set the pace on the rail and lost second late to Tapaline.
There is a $23,170 pick-6 carryover beginning wiith race 4 at 2:36 p.m., and there is an all-turf late pick-4 on races 6-9.
