Meittinis 1,000th, then hurt

Driver Jim Meittinis, the leading driver at Tioga Downs this season, scored his 1,000th career victory on the afternoon card of Tioga Downs' Saturday doubleheader. But just four races after reaching his milestone, the 40-year-old Meittinis was involved in an accident in which he and driver Kerin Warner were thrown to the track and both were rushed to Robert Packer Hospital in nearby Sayre, Pa.

Meittinis suffered a fractured left elbow and separated left shoulder. Warner, 33, who was making his first start at Tioga Downs, broke several ribs. Both men suffered concussions.

The accident occurred as the seventh race field of horses was lined up behind the starting gate on the backstretch. Meittinis was behind Victoria Again in post two and his mount fell to the ground just before the start of the race. His race bike hooked wheels with Kerin Warner's bike, behind Peg's Fantasy in post one, and both drivers were unseated. Peg's Fantasy was loose on the track, but caught easily, and Victoria Again was helped to her feet after being untangled from her equipment. Both horses walked off the track and did not appear to have major injuries. They were declared non-starters.

Meittinis scored his milestone win with Lislea Phia in the third race, a division of the New York-bred late closers for 2-year-old filly pacers. The daughter of stallion Lislea scored in 1:59.1. She is trained by Hall of Famer Harry Harvey for owner-breeder Timothy Rooney.

"This is a great facility and to do this at such a wonderful track, where people are in the stands cheering you all the way home, it was really special," said Meittinis before the accident. "I've been here for two months and I've really enjoyed racing at Tioga. Getting my 1,000th win here, when I travel all over and it could have happened anywhere, well it's just the icing on the cake."

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