by James Witherite, Tioga Downs racing media
After his convincing Meadowlands Pace victory, Menary
Racing, Brad Gray, Michael Guerriero, and the Muscara Racing Trust's He's
Watching ($2.50) cemented himself atop the three-year-old pacing division with
an equally remarkable 1:49.1 victory in the $255,525 Empire Breeders Classic at
Tioga Downs on Sunday (August 10) afternoon.
The son of American Ideal found himself in an early tussle
with Twin B Speedo (Mark MacDonald) and North America Cup winner JK Endofanera
(Brian Sears), pushing clear on the first turn before controlling the terms
through a sensible :55.4 half mile. On the backstretch, Winds of Change
(David Miller) advanced first-over into a narrow second, forcing He's Watching
to accelerate to the far turn. While He's Watching was able to withstand
the added pressure of a :26.3 third quarter, Winds of Change could not, backpedalling
off the far turn and ceding second to the pocket-sitting JK Endofanera.
He's Watching continued to pull away off the corner, drawing off to a
four-length win in rein to Tim Tetrick by way of a torrid :53.2 back half.
JK Endofanera was all-out while giving futile chase the entirety of the
stretch, but remained a clear second over Twin B Speedo.
Winning trainer David Menary indicated plans for He's
Watching to contend the Pacing Triple Crown, which commences at Tioga with the
Cane Pace on Monday, September 1.
The $244,875 Empire Breeders Classic event for
three-year-old pacing fillies saw James Avritt, Sr.'s Precocious Beauty
($10.40) sustain a first-over bid for the final half-mile of her 1:51.1 score,
wearing down the pace-setting Delightful Dragon (David Miller) before pulling
clear in the stretch. Major Dancer (Brian Sears) couldn't rally off live
cover, all-out to chase through the stretch, but finishing two lengths in
arrears. Blush Hanover (Jim Morrill, Jr.) rallied off cover to just miss
the fading Delightful Dragon in the photograph for third, but was elevated to
third placing after Delightful Dragon was found guilty of a pylon violation on
the far turn.
Doug McNair drove Precocious Beauty, a daughter of Art
Major, for trainer Gregg McNair.
The Sunday undercard featured four $28,250 divisions of the
New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, with The Spy
(1:53.0, Tim Tetrick), Lone Survivor (1:52.4, David Miller), Americanprimetime
(1:52.4, Tyler Buter), and Southwind Masimo (1:54.0, Patrick Lachance)
prevailing in their respective divisions.
Racing returns to Tioga for a special Monday (August 11)
evening card. The first of 13 races is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. EDT.
