Tioga resumes racing

Tioga Downs resumed live racing action on Monday night, in front of more than 5,000 spectators, after having been closed due to flooding in the area this past week. Twelve races were contested, which included three early-closing series finals, those for the Tioga County Pacing Series, the Southern Tier Trotting Series, and the Sacketts Creek Pacing Series.

It was South Park Hanover and driver Chuck Connor, Jr., however, who stole the spotlight in the second division of the Tioga Tirade Pacing Series: Watching from the two-hole spot through opening quarter-mile fractions of: 271 and :561, Connors fired to the front on the backstretch and then paced a final half-mile of :54, with identical quarters of :27, and won by more than eleven lengths.

The mile, timed in 1:501, was a new lifetime mark for the 4-year-old son of Artsplace and a new track record at Tioga Downs. Chuck Connor, Jr. posted a driving triple on the card, and Stephane Bouchard finished the night with two trips to the winner’s circle.

The $28,500 Tioga County Pacing Series Final for 3-year-old fillies was won by Voucher and driver Travis Bowman. The daughter of Western Hanover gunned to the front from post position six and through an opening quarter of :264. Mary’s Magic Pride and Stephane Bouchard came right back out and retook on the way to the half-mile pole, timed in :56.4.

However, it was Voucher who took advantage of a two-hole trip and got up at the wire and won by a nose, in 1:56.4.

Eagle Miss and Stephane Bouchard pulled off the upset victory in the $22,000 Southern Tier Trotting Series Final, at odds of 17-1. Owned by Frank Dettore of North Ridgeville, Ohio, and trained by Mark Ford, the mile of 1:58.3 was a new lifetime mark for the 3-year old daughter of Donerail.

The $22,500 Sacketts Creek Pacing Series Final was won by Hesoneinamillion and driver Joe Pavia Jr. Winning in gate-to-wire fashion, the mile, 1:53.4, was a new lifetime mark for the Carmine Fusco trainee. It was also a new track record for 3-year-old gelding pacers at Tioga Downs.

Tioga Downs will continue live racing action with a special holiday card on Tuesday, July 4, starting at 12:45 p.m. (EDT), and will open its 750 video lottery terminal parlor, at 10 a.m.

« Back