by
James Witherite, Tioga Downs racing media
Eight
top three-year-old pacers will contest the first jewel of pacing's Triple
Crown, the 60th Cane Pace, and nine top drivers will contest the second half of
the Vernon/Tioga Drivers' Championship on a blockbuster Labor Day (Monday,
September 1) card at Tioga Downs.
He's
Watching brings a four-race win streak into the $437,325 Cane Pace, carded as
Monday's ninth race. Since fading to third in the North America Cup, the
son of American Ideal proved a powerful 1:46.4 winner in the Meadowlands Pace
and an equally dominant 1:49.1 winner in the Empire Breeders Classic, taking
the eliminations for each respective event as well. Usual driver Tim
Tetrick has once again been listed by trainer David Menary. He's Watching
is one of three $35,000 supplemental entries, along with Luck Be Withyou and
Lyons Somewhere.
Among
those looking to deny He's Watching the first jewel of pacing's Triple Crown
are Milstein runner-up Luck Be Withyou and North America Cup winner JK
Endofanera.
Luck
Be Withyou, the Chris Oakes-trained son of Western Ideal, chased McWicked in
the $400,000 Milstein at Northfield two weeks ago, finishing in a dead heat for
second with McWicked, just three-quarters of a length behind eventual winner
All Bets Off, who pounced up the open stretch. Ron Pierce is listed to
drive the nine-time winner.
JK
Endofanera, the lone millionaire in the field, rebounded well from a
sixth-place finish in the Meadowlnads, taking second in the Empire Breeders
Classic before scoring a 1:50.1 Geers Stake win locally. Ron Burke has
listed Brian Sears to handle the driving duties.
Ten
three-year-old pacing fillies entered the Shady Daisy, which will be raced as a
single $124,325 dash in the afternoon's seventh race. Fancy Desire, a
$7,500 supplemental entry, leads the full field, having won the $300,000 James
Lynch at Pocono in 1:49.3 among seven other career wins. Mark MacDonald
has been nominated by trainer Kevin Carr to drive the Real Desire filly.
Geers winner Katie Said (Marcus Miller), Pennsylvania standout Tyra (Tim
Tetrick nominated), and stakes-placed Gallie Bythe Beach (John Campbell
nominated) are also among the Shady Daisy entrants.
Eight
distaff trotters will vie for their share of $40,000 in a Miss Versatility
preliminary event, carded as the third race. Divisional standout Maven
returned to her winning ways in a Preferred event at Pocono last week,
struggling in prior events since returning to the States after a sixth-place
finish in the Elitloppet. The Jonas Czernyson trainee will be reunited
with regular driver Yannick Gingras, and will race as part of a three-mare
entry with stablemates D'Orsay (Corey Callahan) and Ma Chere Hall (David
Miller). Classic Martine, who has found her way into the spotlight as of
late with wins in the Armbro Flight and Ima Lula events, also draws into the
star-studded event, with Tim Tetrick listed to drive the Chris Oakes-trained
daughter of Classic Photo.
In
addition to the high-profile stakes action, nine of the premier drivers in the
sport complete the Vernon/Tioga Drivers' Championship, with the first round
taking place on Friday (August 29) at Vernon Downs. As in years past, the
overall winner of the nine-race tournament takes home a $25,000 first
prize--the equivalent of the commission for winning a $1,000,000 race.
All nine drivers additionally will donate their commissions to charity.
Tioga
Downs honors last year's Driver's Championship winner Jim Marohn, Jr. with a
bobblehead giveaway. Fans can receive their bobblehead, as well as a
Drivers' Championship t-shirt (while supplies last) at the promotions table on
the tarmac prior to and during the races. Post time for the 11-race card
is 1:30 p.m. EDT.
