Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Tioga Downs Announces Racing Season Event Schedule at Press Luncheon


The 2019 season will feature Derby and Father’s Day celebrations, the first-ever Charity Cup and more

Nichols, NY ­– For local race fans, summer begins now. Though the sunshine and warm weather are still on their way, Tioga Downs is ready to begin its summer season with an events calendar sure to entice families, friends, and racing enthusiasts. At the annual Tioga Downs Press Luncheon on April 30 at P.J. Clarke’s within Tioga Downs, local community leaders and media professionals were treated to a preview of what’s to come this summer at the track.

To kick off the summer season, Tioga Downs will host its highly anticipated Derby Day event to commemorate the kickoff of the racing season with the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4. Celebrations will include a Derby hat contest, a performance from the racetrack’s live bugler, t-shirt and magnet giveaways and a $1,000 Derby Dream Bet promotion. Two Dream Bet winners will receive $500 to bet on a single horse of their choice and will collect any resulting winnings. Between live races, the Kentucky Derby will be shown. Post time is 5:00 p.m. There will also be a firework show after the last race to end the night.

Memorial Day will be celebrated at the track on Sunday, May 26, with an umbrella giveaway at the promotions table starting at 5 p.m. and an impressive, patriotic firework display after the last race. Post time is 6:15 p.m.

The first-ever Charity Cup will take place Saturday, June 8, where nonprofit organizations will have the chance to test their wagering knowledge by competing in a Tioga Downs handicapping contest, with the possibility of winning a share of $20,000. The $20,000 award will be donated to the event by the Southern Tier Harness Association and Jeff Gural.

Father’s Day at Tioga Downs offers plenty of excitement for dads and race fans alike. On Sunday, June 16, the track will host its annual Wiener Dog Trot, where spirited dachshunds will take to the starting gate. One lucky guest will have the opportunity to win a ride-on lawn mower as part of the Father’s Day giveaway. Post time is 1 p.m.

The calendar for the summer 2019 season is packed with more special events, including an Independence Day race at 1 p.m. on July 4, a second Wiener Dog Trot on August 10, and a special series of high-stakes races planned for weekends in August. The Joie De Vie Open Mare Trot and the Crawford Farms Open Trot will take place on Sunday, August 11, with a high-stakes purse of an estimated $175,000. The following week, the track will host the Empire Breeders Classic Finals on August 18. Three-year-old horses will compete for an estimated $250,000-dollar purse. The same day, guests are invited to watch the Roll with Joe Open Pace and the Artiscape Open Mare Pace, with the purse for both races estimated at $175,000.

Guests are invited to celebrate their day off at the Million-Dollar Ball Drop contest on Labor Day, Monday, September 2. Guests will have a chance to win a grand prize of $1,000,000 and the 25 closest golf balls will receive prizes up to $5,000. Post time is 1 p.m.

To close out the season, Tioga Downs will host a Horseplay Car giveaway promotion on Closing Night, Saturday, September 21. The winner of the giveaway will receive a new 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback. Post time for the last race of the season is 6:15 p.m.

To view the complete 2019 season event calendar, please visit www.tiogadowns.com.

About Tioga Downs Casino Resort:

Tioga Downs, which opened in 2006, and expanded to Tioga Downs Casino Resort in December 2016, offers live harness racing, casino gaming, dining, golf, indoor and outdoor live entertainment, and more. Jeff Gural owns Tioga Downs Casino Resort in Nichols, New York as well as Vernon Downs in Vernon, New York. Since opening the new resort in December 2016, Tioga Downs has expanded its gaming offerings to include 908 slot machines, 28 table games, and a 6-table poker room. The Tioga Downs Casino Resort Hotel spans six stories and boasts 160 rooms, an events center, a full-service AgeLess SPA, an indoor saltwater pool and Jacuzzi hot tub, an arcade, and a fitness room, as well as many other exciting amenities in season such as, an outdoor saltwater pool and Jacuzzi complete with Cabanas and a private Cabana bar (for hotel guests), an outdoor waterslide and plunge pool, and a full 18-hole Tioga Golf Course located just minutes down the road. The resort also offers a wide variety of food outlets including their famous County Fair Buffet, Virgil’s Real BBQ, and P.J. Clarke’s, among others. Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs have created more than 1,000 family-sustaining jobs and donated millions to nonprofit organizations. For more information on Tioga Downs Casino Resort, please visit www.tiogadowns.com.

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