Nichols, N.Y. -- A pair of 2-year-old trotters from the Ron
Burke stable proved victorious in their respective Arthur Tompkins Memorial
divisions on a rainy Thursday (August 11) evening at Tioga Downs, both upending
heavy favorites in the last yards.
Southwind Cobra ($11.60) dueled gamely to a 1:56.4 victory
in his $28,585 split for colts and geldings (race 4), pulling the pocket on
approach to the far turn to engage 3-2 favorite Bill's Man (Andy Miller) after
yielding with a circuit to go. While Bill's Man battled to a narrow lead off
the far turn, the son of Muscle Hill and Caerphilly fought back stoutly at the
pegs to prevail by half a length over sloppy going. Cagey (Mike Simons) chased
well through the far turn to finish a clear third off his clear tracking trip.
John Cummings, Jr. drove Southwind Cobra to his maiden-breaking victory for the
Burke Racing Stable, Jack Piatt, II, Larry Karr, and the Weaver Bruscemi partnership.
Burke's other winner came in a $28,410 division for fillies
(race 5), as Romancing Rachel ($25.80) prevailed as the second-longest shot on
the board. Mike Simons angled the daughter of Muscle Hill and Tady's Comer off
the pegs with three-eighths to go, catching the cover of odds-on favorite
Southwind Prius (Andy Miller) on approach to the far turn. At head-stretch,
Romancing Rachel angled three-wide and swept clear to a two-length victory in
2:00.2 as Southwind Prius and Morning Glow (Jimmy Takter)--second and third
respectively--dueled into defeat. The Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi
share ownership of Romancing Rachel with Howard Taylor.
In the other Tompkins events on the nine-race card, Ice
Attraction ($9.40) and Fly On ($2.10) both prevailed. Ice Attraction bested six
fillies in 1:57.3 off a pocket trip in the $28,410 second event, angling at
head-stretch to collar Southwind Avanti by three-quarters of a length. Oskar
Florhed drove the daughter of Muscle Hill and The Ice Queen for trainer Åke
Svanstedt. In the $28,085 sixth for colts and geldings, Fly On posted a
pillar-to-post 1:58.2 triumph, drawing clear by 4-1/2 lengths after his
first-over rival Deacon Tony (Scott Coulter) broke stride at the top of the
stretch. Andy Miller drove the son of Muscle Hill and Calchips Finisher for
trainer Julie Miller.
Six divisions of the Geers Stakes for 2-year-old
pacers--three for fillies, three for colts and geldings--headline Friday
(August 12) evening's 12-race card at Tioga Downs, with first post slated for
6:30 p.m. Eastern.
