by James Witherite,
Tioga Downs racing media
Nichols, N.Y. – While
American Pharoah’s quest to be Thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown winner
in 37 years is sure to attract plenty of attention on Saturday (June 6), Tioga
Downs offers special events on-track all weekend.
Friday (June 5)
evening’s live program features the third round of the “Spain vs. America”
amateur driving competition, with four reinsmen from Palma di Mallorca squaring
off against a quartet of American amateurs. Veteran amateur drivers Alan
Schwartz, Gerry Fielding, Bernie Boland, and Sam Sbarra represent the United
States in the evening’s first two races, while Jaume BASSA Riera (2001 European
Apprentices Championship participant), Agustin MASCARO Pou (2006 Spanish
amateur driving champion), Miquel VICH Capo (three-time Spanish amateur driving
champion), and Bernardo JAUME Cirer. Post time for the eight-race Friday
card is 6:15 p.m, with fans able to enter a month-long drawing for an
all-expense paid trip to the Hambletonian, held in August at the Meadowlands in
East Rutherford, N.J.
Saturday (June 6)
evening’s nine-race card will begin at 7:05 p.m., just after the simulcast of
the Belmont Stakes from Belmont Park. Racing fans can enter for the
chance to win one of 10 $100 gasoline gift cards throughout the evening’s
races.
Sunday’s 11-race program
begins at 1:30 p.m., and features the annual Tioga Downs Scholarship Race, made
possible by the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State and the Southern Tier
Harness Horsemen’s Assocation. Five local high school seniors have teamed
up with Tioga Downs trainers over the past few weeks, working side-by-side with
them in the mornings to learn the basics of horsemanship, racing strategy, and
safety. Participating in the race are:
Adam Layman (Tioga
Central HS, to attend SUNY Broome for Engineering)
Rachel Nelson (Vestal
HS, to attend Morrisville State College for Equine Science)
Kaylee Pandish
(Binghamton HS, to attend SUNY Delhi for Veterinary Science)
Kyle Pryor (Owego Free
Academy, to attend SUNY Broome for Business and Marketing)
Kate Reasons (Horseheads
HS, to attend University of Rochester for Biology, Neuroscience, and Chemistry)
The five students will
race in two-seat jog carts alongside the professional horsemen with whom they
have worked over the past weeks. Corey Braden, Edgar “Sparky” Clarke,
John Cummings, Jr., Jason MacDougall, and Richard Simard will accompany the
seniors for the non-wagering 5/8-mile dash. In all, $9700 in scholarships
will be awarded to the five seniors, with first place good for $3200.
