Tioga Downs will begin their 13th season of
harness racing with a live card on “Derby Day”, Saturday (May 5), with a
special post time of 5:00 p.m.
The celebration will include a Derby Hat contest, t-shirt
and magnet giveaways. The day will also include the Edward P Maloney pipe
band as well as a $1000 Derby Dream Bet Promotion.
The two Dream Bet winners will receive $500 to wager on any
horse in the Kentucky Derby. They will take home any winnings. The
Kentucky Derby will be shown live on our large Tote board screen as well as on
tv’s all around Tioga Downs.
A spectacular fireworks display will follow live racing.
Highlights for the 2018 season include Camel and Ostrich
races, as well as the debut of Weiner Dog Races.
The always popular Camel and Ostrich Races, will make their
return on Father’s Day (June 17). The Weiner Dog races will be held on
Saturday (August 11). If you think you have the fastest Dachshund in the
southern tier be sure to register him or her at www.tiogadowns.com starting on May 14th,
Tioga Downs will once again be the home to some of the best
harness horses in the country.
On Sunday, June 10th, Tioga will feature a leg of
The Graduate Series ($75,000), for 4-year-old pacers and trotters.
On Sunday August 12th, the five-eighths mile
track in Nichols, NY, will feature the Empire Breeders Classic eliminations,
with races for both 3-year-old fillies and colts. Also featured on the
card it the Joie De Vie Open Mare Trot ($175,000), as well as the Crawford
Farms Open Trot ($175,000).
In the 2017 version of the Joie De Vie, Emoticon Hanover set
a world record for 4-year-old trotting mares on a five-eighths mile track with
a time of 1:50.2. She owns the overall Tioga Downs track record for all
trotters as well.
On Sunday August 19th, Tioga Downs will feature
the Empire Breeders Classic finals with both 3-year-old pacing fillies and colts,
each racing for a purse of $250,000 (Est.). Also on that day will be the
Roll With Joe Open Pace ($175,000), and the Artiscape Open Mare Pace
($175,000).
The all popular Million Dollar Ball Drop promotion will
culminate on August 19th. The Horseplay Car Giveaway will be
on closing night (September 22).
The featured race this Saturday (May 5) is the Open Trot
($12,000) featuring Tioga’s top trotter for both 2016 and 2017, Prairie
Fortune. He is trained by the top trainer of 2017, Mike Deters.
Deters won the training title with 29 wins. Patti
Harmon was second with 24 victories, followed by Tony Dinges (23), Gary
Messenger (23), and Joe Skowyra (20).
Mike Simons was the driving champion in 2017 with 74
wins. Jim Taggart Jr, was second with 55 wins. Jim Meittinis and
Mike Merton tied for third with 53 victories each. Aaron Byron rounded
out the top five with 46 trips to the winner’s circle.
The 11 race card begins at 5:00 p.m.
For more information go to www.tiogadowns
.com
