Tioga Downs ready for 2011 opener

Tioga Downs will open up for its sixth season of live racing action from Nichols, New York on Saturday, May 7 (Kentucky Derby Day) with a post time of 6:50 pm. A ten race card will highlight opening night co-featured with Tioga’s Derby Fest featuring all day activities including mint juleps, a Derby Day hat contest, live entertainment, wagering and video from Churchill Downs, and much more.

Saturday night’s feature event will be the $16,500 Fillies and Mares open handicap pace slated for race one. A field of six aged pacing mares will line up behind the wings of the Tioga starting gate to kick off one of the most anticipated events of the southern tier. Semjac Legacy is coming into Saturdays’ event on a three race win streak and thus has been assigned post position number six by the Director of Racing, Jason Bluhm. She has been listed as the 2-1 morning line favorite and Greg Merton will be in the sulky behind number six, Semjac Legacy. Saturday night’s card will also feature four divisions of the Morrisville College Sale Trot each division going for $7,500.

Sunday afternoons’ thirteen race card will get underway at 1:30 pm and Tioga has many promotions and events to help you celebrate Mother’s Day at the track. Tioga’s Sunday card will feature four divisions of the Kenneth J Pace for 3-year old pacing colts. Many of the sophomore pacers are using the Kenneth J series as a preparation for some of the bigger races later in May including the $250,000e Empire Breeders’ Classic and New York Sire Stakes. Also back for another year on Sunday afternoons is the Tioga Downs’ Pick Six, this year the guaranteed pool has been raised from $6,000 to $10,000. The Tioga Downs’ pick six will be featured on the final six races of the afternoon (Races: 8 – 13).
   
Tioga Downs kicks off its sixth season of live racing on Saturday, May 7th (Kentucky Derby Day). For more information on promotions and events at the 61 day race meet at Tioga Downs please visit us online at www.tiogadowns.com .  (Tioga Downs)