by James Witherite,
Tioga and Vernon Downs racing media
Nichols, N.Y. –
Officials at Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs have unveiled a new-look stakes
schedule for the 2017 season, with top horses converging on upstate New York to
compete for over $3.7 million in purses.
Top veteran
Standardbreds and 3-year-old New York-sired pacers take center stage on a pair
of blockbuster Sundays at Tioga Downs. The August 20 card features the $175,000
(est.) Roll With Joe for open pacers and both $250,000 (est.) Empire Breeders
Classics for three-year-old pacers. One week later (August 27), distaff pacers
contest the $175,000 (est.) Artiscape as a co-featured event with the $175,000
(est.) Crawford Farms Trot and the $175,000 (est.) Joie de Vie (formerly the
Muscle Hill) Mares Trot, both of which move to the Southern Tier from Vernon
Downs.
“We have an amazing
stakes lineup on back-to-back Sundays in August,” said Jason Bluhm, Director of
Racing at Tioga Downs. “I think our fans will enjoy seeing all the sport’s top
stars—all the top horses, drivers and trainers—converge on Tioga for what should
be some phenomenal racing.”
Other stakes highlights
at Tioga include a Graduate Series preliminary for 4-year-olds on the pace and
on the trot, the Geers Stakes for 2- and 3-year-old pacers, the Arthur Tompkins
Memorial for 2-year-old trotters, the W. N. Reynolds Stakes for 2-year-olds,
and a Miss Versatility preliminary for distaff trotters.
At Vernon Downs, the
marquee event remains the Harry M. Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old trotters, but
it has been moved from its late July position to two weeks after the
Hambletonian, where it will now take place on Friday, August 18. The main event
for top colts and geldings carries a $370,000 (est.) purse, while top fillies
vie for $150,000 (est.).
“We thought it was the
perfect opportunity to move into this spot when Pocono decided not to race the
Colonial in 2017,” remarked Vernon Downs Director of Racing Scott Warren. “We
are hopeful we’ll be able to attract the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks
winners.”
New York-sired
3-year-old trotters will compete in the $250,000 (est.) Empire Breeders
Classics on Sunday, June 18, and the sport’s finest 2-year-olds will compete
for an estimated $600,000 as the Kindergarten Classic finals return to the
Miracle Mile on Friday, November 3.
Full 2017 schedules will
be available in mid-winter, pending approval by the New York State Gaming
Commission. Further stakes information is available at
https://www.tiogadowns.com/racing/horsemen/.
https://www.tiogadowns.com/racing/horsemen/.
