Sophomore trotters invade Tioga

NYSS State Fair divisions for sophomore trotters comprised 10 contests on Tioga Downs’ 13-race program Saturday evening, August 5. A total of six splits were offered for colts and geldings, while fillies filled four divisions. The winners were an intriguing mix of heavy favorites as well as trotters with long odds.

Windsun Bellagio went off as the favorite in the first $18,774 split and won by four and one-quarter lengths in 2:00. Stephane Bouchard piloted the son of Credit Winner, owned by Slo-down Stable, Edmund Namiotka Jr., Kenneth E Jacobs and Vincent J Tancredi, for trainer Samuel Serianni. Lasting T and Edward Dunnigan were second and Curtis Point and James Marshall finished third.

Matchstick Man triumphed in the fastest division of the night with a gate-to-wire effort for Ray Schnittker in 1:56.1. The Conway Hall colt is owned by Schnittker, trainer Paul Doherty and Hero Stables, all of New York. Seneca T was second, half a length back, and Electronic Chip was third.

The first favorite fell in the colt divisions when 16-1 Crown Hall wired the field and won by nearly three lengths in 1:58.1. Howard Okusko Jr. trains and drives the Conway Hall colt for Purple Haze Stables LLC. Second choice Frank The Hands was second while 15-1 Colonial Mansion raced third. Favorite Ironclad was fourth.

Third-choice The Winner narrowly held off bettors’ choice Naughty Nunu by a nose in 1:59.4 in the $18,774 fourth split. Normand Fluet commanded the gelded son of Credit Winner for owners William Richardson and Leo Fallon. The Winner is trained by Phillip Fluet.

Cold Winner wired the field in the following contest, stopping the clock in 2:00 while finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of Kid Conway. The Credit Winner gelding was bred by owners W Springtime Racing Stable and John Stark Jr. He is trained by Stark and was driven by Bouchard.

In the final contest, which carried a purse of $19,174, heavy favorite Celebrity Surfer received every call on the way to winning by four lengths in a time of 1:59.2. The Meadowbranch Mike colt is leased by trainer John Stephenson. More Fire, at 54-1, finished second and Felony Hall was third.

Incredible Fortuna won the evening’s first contest for fillies in 1:59. Driven by trainer Ivan Davies, the favored three year old hit the wire 10 lengths in front of Alpine Fancy. Miss El Paso finished third. The Credit Winner filly is owned by Paul W Kinnear, Douglas B Hutchins and Alan H Quinn.

Eyecon and Bouchard captured the second split in 2:01.1. The Conway Hall filly followed favorite Newyorkjoyants throughout the circuit before trotting home in :29.1 to win by half a length. Edens Fancypants finished third. Anne Schlichtig trains the winner for owner Richard Schwartz.

Demeter, a Conway Hall filly, pulled the most significant upset of the night, winning the third division in 1:59.4. At 23-1, Demeter finished five lengths in front of Wolf’s Fawn. Marina Grace placed third. Michael Forte sat in the bike for the win. Robert Lasky trains Demeter for owner Edward Reich.

The final $24,554 split also provided an upset as 10-1 Wellesley Hall edged favorite Carmen Hall by three-quarters of a length in 1:59.1. Trainer James Doherty guided the winner. He co-owns the Conway Hall filly with Thomas Dillon and Walter Hight, both of Maine.

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