Nichols, N.Y. -- Driver Tim Tetrick and trainer Linda
Toscano swept the 3-year-old Geers Stakes divisions at Tioga Downs on Monday
(July 4) afternoon, with both Missile J ($3.80) and Cut and Paste ($3.60)
prevailing in convincing fashion.
In the $66,375 Geers for pacing colts and geldings, Missile
J pushed clear of Mr D's Dragon (Jim Meittinis) midway on the first turn,
controlling a :57.1 first half before accelerating clear on the backstretch.
The 3-year-old American Ideal gelding used a :26.3 third quarter to get the
jump on his eight rivals, ultimately besting pocket foe Mr D's Dragon by 3-3/4
lengths in 1:51.2. Fine Diamond (Matt Kakaley) circled belatedly to save third
while detached from the top pair.
Missile J, a 7-time winner, is owned by the KJ Stables, LLC
and the Purple Haze Stables, LLC.
Cut and Paste took advantage of a pocket trip through the
first eleven-sixteenths of the $53,375 filly division, tracking Mother of Art
(Mark MacDonald) before vaulting clear on approach to the far turn. As soon as
Tetrick vacated the pocket with the Well Said filly, she sprinted clear with
authority. The 6-time winner mounted a six-length margin over eventual
runner-up Encore Deo (Mike Simons) before Tetrick geared her down in the last
70 yards to a 1:53 triumph. Ghose Runner (Tom Jackson) used a third-over trip
to take third, just missing Encore Deo for the place spot. Early pacesetter
Mother of Art faded on the far turn, finishing last of the seven fillies.
Cut and Paste is owned by the Stake Your Claim Stable, the
Camelot Stable, and Fred Wallace.
Tetrick completed a driving hat trick on the nine-race card
with Nitro Seelster ($3.60) in the $11,000 Open Pace, fanning three-wide off
the far turn and out-sprinting Andreos Kardia (Aaron Byron), who found a seam
up the pegs in the last sixteenth with an abundance of pace, in 1:51.2.
Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Friday (July 8), with
first post slated for 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
