by James Witherite, Tioga Downs racing media
Facing seven rivals and a track bias which played in the
favor of stalkers and closers, Lyonssomewhere ($40.20) held sway from odds-on
favorite He's Watching for a 1:49.4 victory in the $437,325 Cane Pace, the
featured event on a star-studded Labor Day (September 1) card at Tioga Downs.
Embroiled in an early duel with Luck Be Withyou, Yannick
Gingras pushed to the fore with Lyonssomewhere on the first turn, but was
pushed through a taxing :53.3 first half mile. With JK Endofanera (Brian
Sears) commencing a first-over rally off the clubhouse turn, Ron Pierce elected
to vacate the pocket with Luck Be Withyou, pushing the pace harder still with
three-eighths to go. While Lyonssomewhere responded to the challenge,
Luck Be Withyou faded into the far turn, forcing JK Endofanera three-wide past
three-quarters in 1:21.3. Meadowlands Pace winner and 2-5 favorite He's
Watching (Tim Tetrick) was ultimately forced four-wide before he could unleash
his kick, but was four lengths in arrears approaching the top of the stretch.
Despite a gallant effort in the final yards, He's Watching could not
catch the longtime pacesetter Lyonssomewhere, who held sway by half a length
over He's Watching. Doo Wop Hanover rallied from last to take third.
Jimmy Takter trains the son of Somebeachsomewhere for
Geoffrey Lyons Mound.
The undercard featured the $124,325 Shady Daisy for
three-year-old pacing fillies, with Also Encouraging ($7.40) rallying down the
grandstand side off a fourth-over trip to beat Katie Said (Marcus Miller) and
Ali Blue (Yannick Gingras) in 1:52 after Gallie Bythe Beach (John Campbell) was
worn down on the far turn after setting torrid fractions. David Miller
handled the driving duties aboard the Western Terror filly for trainer Casie
Coleman.
Additionally, top distaff trotters contested a $40,000 Miss
Versatility preliminary event, with Charmed Life ($19.60) establishing a new
overall trotting track record in a 1:52.2 effort, kicking cover to beat Classic
Martine (Tim Tetrick) and Frau Blucher (Ron Pierce). Jody Jamieson drove
the four-year-old daughter of Majestic Son for trainer David Menary.
The Labor Day card also saw Yannick Gingras triumph in the
$25,000 Vernon/Tioga Drivers' Championship, winning the sixth race on the card
with Cabrera en route to his title. A pair of wins from Matt Kakaley
propelled him into second place, while Ron Pierce finished third.
Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Thursday (September
4), with first post set for 6:15 p.m. EDT.
