FlyHawk El Durado picked up right where he left off the in the New York Sire
Stakes in taking the 1st leg at Tioga Downs. Mark MacDonald sent the
2013 NYSS 2YO Champion straight to the front for soft fractions of 29 and 58.1.
The 3YO son of Conway Hall-El Paso Gal then picked up the pace by trotting a
back half in 57 with a last quarter of 28.2. The Mark Ford trained Flyhawk El
Durado was never really challenged and crossed the line with a comfortable 2 ½
length victory in 1:55.1. Lukas Hall finished 2nd while Hallanet
wound up 3rd.
In the 2nd division of NYSS action, John Grasso’s homebred,
Expressive Action was an impressive winner in a thrilling finish. Gural Hanover
was sent to the front and opened an early 3 length lead with a brisk opening
quarter of 27.1. Gregory then settled Gural Hanover down thru a half of
57.1, when shortly after, business picked up. Mickey McGivern’s Cash Me Out the
pulled from the 3-hole to get up and challenge the leader through a 3-quarters
in 1:25.3, a spirited 28.2 duel. By the top of the stretch, Cash Me Out wore
down Gural Hanover and stuck a nose in front, but that’s when a perfectly
placed Expressive Action, handled brilliantly by driver Mike Simons, eased out
3-wide from the pocket and chased down Cash Me Out right at the wire to win by
a neck in 1:54.2. The win was the 1st of the year and the 2nd win
in just 6 lifetime starts.
Leading Tioga Downs driver Jim Marohn, Jr. steered 3 Excelsior horses to
victory tonight (Crazolo, Rc Marquee and Engagedatlexington) while Jim Morrill,
Jr. guided the remaining 2 (Avivas Winner and Zoey De Vie).
Tioga Downs continues racing action
Saturday night with 10 races at 6:15pm. For more information about racing at
Tioga, please visit our website at www.tiogadowns.com.
