Saturday, August 31, 2013

$25,000 PAYDAY ON THE LINE AS DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP COMES TO TIOGA



Hometown favorite Marohn begins Monday with 7-point lead on all-star field of drivers

NICHOLS, NY – The eyes of the harness racing world will be focused on Tioga Downs on Labor Day as North America's top drivers compete for a $25,000 first prize in the final round of the 7th Annual Tioga/Vernon All-Star Drivers' Championship.

The 13-race card also features the 59th edition of the $360,211 Cane Pace, opening leg of the Pacing Triple Crown. Superstar Captaintreacherous has been installed as the 8/5 morning line favorite and will be coupled in the wagering with stablemate Wake Up Peter. Captaintreacherous looks to bounce back from his first loss of the season when he finished second by a nose in a world record equaling 1:47.4 in the Battle of the Brandywine at Mohegan Sun Pocono Downs on August 17.

Post time is 1:30 p.m.

Leading Tioga Downs driver Jimmy Marohn, Jr. leads his eight competitors by 7 points after winning the opening leg of the Drivers’ Championship held last Sunday night at Vernon Downs. Marohn won $10,000 as the halfway leader.

Monday's final round includes five races. Drivers earn 10 points for a win, 7 points for a second-place finish, 5 points for third, 3 points for fourth and 1 point for finishing fifth.

Another unique feature of the Drivers' Championship is that all nine drivers will be donating their race earnings to a charity of their choice. The host tracks and Jeff Gural will each match the donations.

The charities being supported are New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, Team Rubicon, Brian Michonski Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund, Standardbred Retirement Foundation, Harness Horse Youth Foundation, Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society, Best Friends Animal Society and Southern Tier Alternative Therapies.

Plenty of other fun events and giveaways are planned for Labor Day including a Corey Callahan bobblehead giveaway, Drivers' Championship T-Shirt giveaway, drawings to win iPads and a driver autograph session. All of the on-track excitement begins at 12:30 p.m.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Little Santamonica upsets in Tioga Friday feature


Little Santamonica and Aaron Byron
Little Santamonica (Aaron Byron) posted a 10-1 upset victory in the Friday night's $16,000 fillies and mares miracle mile 1 at Tioga Downs.

Byron and Little Santamonica got away fourth in a field of six from post position number one as Prairie Lee (Jim Meittinis) moved to the front by an opening quarter in 27.4. As the field went by the half mile mark of the race in 56.2, Keith Kamann moved last week's winner, Hot List, first over and battled Prairie Lee down the backside and the duo went by three quarters in 1:23.3. Around the final turn, Byron tipped Little Santamonica three wide off Kamann's helmet and surged to the front in the stretch holding off a late charge by Brownsville Bomber (Fern Paquet Jr.) to win by a quarter length in 1:52.2. The mile equaled the lifetime mark for the 5-year-old daughter of Little Steven – Tonianne N for Kelly Dawn Hope, and trainer Jordan Hope.

Fern Paquet Jr. and Aaron Byron each posted driving triples on the night's nine-race card.


Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Saturday, August 31st with a post time of 6:50pm, for more information on Tioga Downs please visit us online at www.tiogadowns.com

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Drivers’ Championship and Shady Daisy draw to be held Thursday at Tioga


The draw for the final round of the Drivers' Championship at Tioga Downs and the Shady Daisy Pace will be held on Thursday morning (August 29 – by 9:00am) for the races that will be held on Monday, September 2nd (Labor Day) with a post time of 1:30pm.

Five races with nine horse fields will be needed for the Drivers' Championship races and the purses for those events will be raised 20% for that one day.

Another incentive for trainers of the horses used for the Drivers' Championship is the trainer bonuses being offered. The winning trainer of the Drivers' Championship legs will be paid $500 each, second place trainers will receive $250, and third through ninth will receive $100. The horses racing in these events that do not get a check (sixth through ninth) will be paid $100 for participating in the Drivers' Championship.

A condition sheet for Monday’s events can be found by following this link .

Tioga will also hold the draw for the 90,000e Shady Daisy on Thursday morning, which will be co-featured with the $360,211 Cane Pace Final. All eight horses that declared for the Cane Pace last week will automatically be entered directly into the final, post positions have already been drawn and the field is led by Captaintreacherous (Tim Tetrick) and Vegas Vacation (Brian Sears).

The point standings for the Drivers’ Championship after the first round held at Vernon Downs this past Sunday night are as follows: Jimmy Marohn Jr. – 27, Jody Jamieson - 20 , Tim Tetrick – 18, Brian Sears – 17, Ron Pierce – 10, Yannick Gingras – 6, Rick Plano – 3, David Miller – 2, and Corey Callahan – 1.  

Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Friday, August 30th with a post time of 6:50pm, for more information on Tioga Downs please visit us online at www.tiogadowns.com .

Monday, August 26, 2013

Maven captures Miss Versatility Trot at Tioga Downs


Maven and Yannick Gingras capture Miss Versatility
On Sunday afternoon, Tioga Downs held the fourth and final division of the Miss Versatility trotting series and Maven completed the sweep with regular pilot Yannick Gingras.

Leaving from post position number six in a field scratched down to eight, Maven got away second as Cedar Dove (Ron Pierce) got to the opening quarter in 28.1. As the field headed towards the half mile mark, Pierce had the field at a crawl and Gingras decided it was time to move Maven to the outside just after the three eighths mark as the field went by the half in 57.2. Down the backside, Pierce attempted to step away from the rest of the field with a third panel in 27.2, but Maven would not go away and as the field entered the stretch, Maven had a quarter length advantage on the field. Down the stretch, Maven stepped away from the field and was able to hold off a late charge by Beatgoeson Hanover (David Miller) to win by a neck in 1:53.3.

It was the sixth win in eight seasonal starts for the 4-year-old daughter of Glidemaster – M Stewart, who is owned by W J Donovan of Florida, and is trained by Jonas Czernyson.

Beatgoeson Hanover (David Miller) got up for second, while Cedar Dove (Ron Pierce) hung on for third.

The $100,000e Miss Versatility Final will be held on Jug Day in Delaware, OH (September 19) with the top eight point earners that declare making the final.

Tioga Downs also held three divisions for 2-year-old colt trotters in the Kindergarten Classic which were won by Southwind Spirit – Yannick Gingras (1:56.1) a 2-year-old son of Muscle Hill – Spice On Ice, Toss Cartwright – Corey Callahan (1:57) a 2-year-old Muscles Yankee – Toss Up, and Resolve – Roman Lopez (1:55.2) a 2-year-old son of Muscle Hill – Anikawiesahalee which equaled the track record for 2-year-old colt trotters held by Delano from 2011.

Two divisions for 2-year-old filly trotters were also held on Sunday in the Kindergarten Classic: You And I – John Campbell (1:56.3) a 2-year-old daughter of Muscles Yankee – Spendthrift and Chocolate Crisp – Tim Tetrick (1:56.1) 2-year-old Chocolatier – Yankee Valentine.

Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Friday, August 30th with a post time of 6:50pm, for more information on Tioga Downs please visit us online at www.tiogadowns.com .

Sunday, August 25, 2013

In Your Room captures Tioga Downs Saturday night feature


In Your Room and Mike Simons
Mike Simons and In Your Room captured the $16,000 open trot on Saturday night at Tioga Downs.

Simons and In Your Room got away third from post position number three as Cold Certified (Aaron Byron), the 1-2 betting favorite, cut through fractions of 27, 56, and 1:24.1. Around the final turn, Simons and In Your Room found themselves four lengths off the lead with Cold Certified controlling the race over a pocket sitting Fox Valley Smarty (Corey Braden). Down the stretch, Simons pulled In Your Room to the outside and she responded trotting a final quarter in 28.4 to get up for a length and three quarter victory in 1:53.4. The win was the sixth of the year in 20 seasonal starts for the 5-year-old daughter of Cr Excalibur – Chris Image for the Classico Stables and trainer Gail Wrubel.  Cold Certified (Aaron Byron) hung on for second, while Fox Valley Smarty was third to round out the 3-5-6 trifecta good for $92.00.

Fern Paquet Jr. recorded a driving triple on the night's 10-race card, while Jimmy Marohn Jr. and Corey Braden each posted doubles.

Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Sunday, August 25th with a special post time of 1:00pm, for more information on Tioga Downs please visit us online at www.tiogadowns.com .