by James Witherite,
Tioga/Vernon Downs racing media
Nichols, N.Y. -- Top New York-sired 3-year-old fillies and a collection of the
finest 4-year-old pacers and trotters in harness racing head to Upstate New
York for Memorial Day weekend, as they headline the weekend's racing at Tioga
and Vernon Downs.
Saturday (May 23) evening's card at Vernon Downs features three divisions of
the New York Sire Stakes ($110,000 added) for 3-year-old trotting fillies, with
first-round winners Lindy Land (John MacDonald) and Magic City (Jeff Gregory)
squaring off in the second-division eighth race. Shaqline (Jim Morrill,
Jr.), also a winner in last week's opening Sire Stakes round at Tioga, does
battle in a full field of nine in the opening split, carded as race seven.
Stakes action shifts to Tioga on Monday (May 25) afternoon, with the new Graduate
Series for 4-year-olds kicking off on the Memorial Day program. Eleven
trotters and thirteen pacers were split into two divisions for each gait, and
each split carries a purse of $37,500. Last year's top three-year-old
trotting filly Shake It Cerry (Jimmy Takter) will try to beat the boys, facing
Datsyuk (Charlie Norris)--who beat Father Patrick in the Tompkins Stakes at
Tioga last year--and Gural Hanover (Jim Morrill, Jr.) in their five-horse fifth
race. The pacing divisions of the Graduate see Cane Pace winner
Lyonssomewhere (Andy Miller) and Little Brown Jug winner Limelight Beach
(Yannick Gingras) draw separate divisions, contesting races 9 and 11,
respectively.
In addition, Monday's Tioga program features the New York Sire Stakes ($110,000
added) for 3-year-old pacing fillies, and the sensational JK She'salady (Tim
Tetrick) makes her much-awaited seasonal debut for trainer Nancy Johansson
after sweeping all 12 of her races last year. She has been installed the
3-5 morning line favorite in the $31,050 eighth race.
Both racetracks feature fireworks displays this weekend, taking place after the
races on Saturday (May 23) at Vernon and Sunday (May 24) evening at
Tioga. Likewise, on Memorial Day (Monday, May 25), fans can receive a
camouflage baseball cap at both tracks (while supplies last), with the hat
giveaway beginning an hour before first post.
