Cactus Creek equals all-age Tioga mark

Cactus Creek and Jordan Stratton equaled the all-age track record, and broke the track record for aged gelding pacers, on Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs. With the help of the warm muggy weather, the duo flew through torrid fractions of :25.1, :52.3 and 1:20 before waltzing home in :30 to stop the teletimer in 1:50.

 

The win was the third of the year for the 7-year old son of Artsplace-Cactus Flower, whose previous lifetime mark of 1:50.2 was taken in the Adios in 2006. Jamie Gerard trains Cactus Creek for Reginald Duguay of Winslow, Maine, and the win increased the horse's career earnings to less than $6,000 away from $500,000.

 

In the $14,000 Class A Handicap Pace, Bob’s Alibi and Greg Merton used early speed out of the gate to capture the pocket trip behind Jason Bartlett and The Awful Truth. Merton followed Bartlett through fractions of :26.4, :54.4, and 1:22.4 before pulling to the outside to challenge in the stretch and pace by the pacesetter to stop the teletimer in 1:52.

 

Corey Braden and Sheer Brilliance found room along the inside to finish second, while Bartlett and The Awful Truth hung on for third.

 

Jason Bartlett posted a driving grand slam on the afternoon’s thirteen race card, while Matt Kakaley scored a driving double. (Tioga Downs)