Gingras takes homes $25,000 prize in Tioga championship

July 28, 2008

Yannick Gingras defended his crown as defending champion of the Driver�s Championship at Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon. Gingras� hopes looked slim as halfway through the competition he was sitting in last place with only two points on the board. However, he ripped off three straight victories in the final three races to take down the competition for the second straight year with 32 points.

Gingras's first victory came with Opan Heart from the Jim Perry stable, in a lifetime best of 1:53. The duo used an off-the-pace tactic, and was sent three wide around the final turn before sprinting away from the field. His next victory came in the Open Handicap trot with Levitys Pride in 1:56 for trainer Alex Kavoleff. Gingras found room up the pylons late in the stretch to take the lead in the competition with 22 points.

In the final leg of competition, Gingras steered All Due Respect to victory for trainer Jean Drolet in 1:52.2. The duo left the gate and cut through fractions of :27.3, :55.3, and 1:23.4 before sprinting away leaving the rest of the field in the dust to lock down his $25,000 payday.

In the first leg of the competition it was a distance of a mile and a quarter the driver�s were challenged with. Brian Sears jumped out to the early lead scoring with Hopulence in 2:25.3 for owner, trainer, and breeder Jennifer Lappe. In the second leg Andy Miller overcame post position nine with JK Big Shot and used the �catch me if you can� tactic to sprint away in 1:53.3 for trainer Gary Lemaister. The third leg belonged to Tim Tetrick and Cash In Your Chips as the Vernon invader shipped to town from the Leon Bailey stable and posted a seasonal best of 1:55.

After the third leg of competition Miller held a four-point lead over Tim Tetrick, while Parker was one back of Tetrick in third.

Tetrick finished second with 23 points receiving $5,000, Miller and hometown favorite Howard Parker tied with 20 points for third place and each received $2,500. The following was the remainder the finish and each took home $1,000: Sears (18), Jody Jamieson (14), Ron Pierce (15), Eric Goodell (11), and Anthony Morgan (9).

Gingras posted a grand slam on the day, while Sears posted a driving triple and Tetrick a driving double on the afternoon�s 12-race card.

Tioga would like to thank all of the drivers who made the second annual Driver�s Championship a great success, and also for donating their five percent of the six competition races to the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, which was matched by Tioga Downs. All together over $6,400 was donated to the foundation for this one day event.

Tioga Downs would like to thank all of it�s sponsor of the 2008 edition of the Driver�s Championship who without, the event would not have been possible: Allerage Farms, All Events Engraving, Art Gray Consulting, Blue Chip Farm, Bow River Jewelry, Climans Green Lian Architects Inc., Delaware County Fair, The Horseman and Fair World Magazine, LP Ciminelli, NTRA, Oneida Print Shop, Panda Air, Roberts Communications Network, Southern Tier Harness Horsemen�s Association, Tioga Downs, Towne Law Office, and United Tote.

Tioga Downs thanks all of its fans, horsemen, and staff who helped to continue the tradition of one of the most exciting events harness racing has to offer. (Tioga Downs)

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