More purse money in NY

Tioga and Vernon Downs have announced their projected purse account numbers for the 2007 meets, with both tracks increasing payouts. This year, the Nichols, N.Y. track will pay out a projected $80,000 per card over 57 dates, while Vernon will pay out a projected $50,000 per card in purses over 90 dates.

Both tracks will offer several new events this year. Vernon will host top horses by offering the Conway Hall, a $100,000 (est.) open mare trot, the Credit Winner, a $125,000 (est.) Open trot, and the Artiscape, a $100,000 (est.) Open mare pace. Vernon will also host one leg of the Miss Versatility Trot, as well as six legs of the Kindergarten Classic for 2-year olds.

Tioga will unveil the new Rags to Riches Series, a $100,000 (est.) event for $10,000 claimers, mirroring the elimination style of the NCAA basketball tournament. There will be three legs, each escalating in purse -- first leg $7,500, second leg $8,500, third leg $10,000 -- while declining in horses. Each week, only the top few finishers will move on to the next round.

Tioga also plays host to six legs of the Kindergarten Classic and one leg of the Miss Versatility, as well as hosting the Tompkins-Geers grand circuit races for 2- and 3-year-old trotters and pacers, and the Zweig Memorial Trot, an Open event for 3-year-olds, with an estimated purse of $300,000. Tioga will also be announcing their late-closers within the next week.

Both tracks will host the new Empire Breeders Classic, an event for 3-year-old New York-sired horses; $150,000 will be up for grabs in the final for each of the four divisions separated by sex and gait.

Tioga Downs will host 10 days of New York Sire Stakes action, while Vernon Downs will see the Sire Stakes come to town on four occasions in 2007. Tioga Downs will also host the Syracuse Mile races, otherwise known as the New York State Fair Races.

Tioga Downs will race on two Mondays during the 2007 race season, for special weekends and events such as the Tompkins-Geers Grand Circuit races, held on July 20 through July 23, and the Syracuse Mile races in August. Tioga Downs will offer a free golf outing on Monday mornings, July 23 and August 20, before the races that night.

The golf tournament is played as a four man scrambles with a shotgun start at Tioga Country Club in Nichols, N.Y. For more information on the golf tournament feel free to e-mail Jason Settlemoir, at jsettlemoir@tiogadowns.com. (Tioga Downs press release)

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