The Tompkins-Geers grand circuit stakes for 2-year old pacers took center stage at Tioga Downs on Friday night. Three divisions of freshmen filly pacers and three divisions of freshmen colt pacers were the co-featured events on the night’s twelve race card.
In the first $26,040 division of
the night, the filly pacers showed off their stuff and Linda Toscano’s JK Molly
opened some eyes in her second lifetime start. Getting away in fifth from post
position number five, Tetrick settled JK Molly in as Expose (David Miller) cut
through fractions of 26.4 and 55. As the field headed down the backside, JK
Molly was positioned second over as Dottie Major (Marcus Miller) tried a first
over assault through a third quarter in 28 (1:23). Around the final turn
Tetrick tipped JK Molly three high off fading cover and the 2-year old daughter
of Art Major – Heather’s Western responded by pacing away from the field to win
by three. The mile of 1:52.2 eclipsed the previous track record that was held
by Drop The Ball from 2010 of 1:52.4. Linda Toscano trains JK Molly for the 3
Brothers Stable of New York, New York.
Other division winners for the
pacing fillies were: Anegada – Jim Morrill Jr. (1:55.1) and Ravinia Hanover –
Yannick Gingras (1:54).
On the colt side of the grand circuit
stakes, it was a Linda Toscano sweep as she trained the winners of all of the
2-year old colt pacers, all for different owners. Posting the fastest mile of
the hot and humid evening for the colt pacers, was Murder He Wrote, who stayed
a perfect two for two in his young career. Tetrick quarter poled to the front
by the quarter in 28.3 and then reeled off fractions of 57.4 and 1:25.4 before
sprinting home a winner in 1:53.1. Toscano trains the 2-year old son of Kenneth
J – Jk Dancing Queen for herself, as owner of the Camelot Stable Inc., of
Freehold, NJ.
Other division winners included: El
Bloombito – Tim Tetrick (1:54) and Winds Of Change – Tim Tetrick (1:53.3).
Sophomore trotters take to the
track in the Tompkins-Geers Grand Circuit stakes on Saturday night at Tioga.
One division of ten colts race for
$62,766 in the 8th races where trainer Noel Daley sends out a pair of
Crazed prospects tabbed as the morning line choice.
Crazy About Pat has matured into a
top NYSS performer this season with four wins from eleven outings for just shy
of $100,000 in seasonal bankroll for the Patricia Stable. His latest win
was in a career best 1:54- in a sires stake at Vernon Downs. His regular pilot
Cat Manzi will be in for the drive.
Up Front And Crazy, out of
Love's Caress, is slightly less accomplished but strung three overnight
wins together in Canada for owners Up Front Racing, Tres Amigos Stable and the
trainer.
The fillies split two ways with a
field of eight competing for $35,383 in each.
Andie Sophia comes in off of a
1:55.3 win in the Grand Circuit Hudson Filly trot at Yonkers. The
ultra-consistent Like A Prayer x Promising Deal lass has won four of nine
lifetime starts for over a quarter million dollars in earnings career-wise.
Trainer Rob Harmon has managed her beautifully and owns the filly in
partnership with Comfortably Numb Stable and and A. Friedland. Manzi picks up
the drive on Saturday.
Division two features the speedy
Classic Martine. This Classic Photo filly from Drinking Days has won six of
nine starts this year for $112,083 in earnings and has really been sharp since
moving into the Chris Oakes barn in early June, winning a pair of PA
stakes in 1:53.1. The Hauser Bros, Susan Oakes and Conrad Zurich share
ownership and top Tioga reinsman Jimmy Marohn, Jr has the drive.
Post time on Saturday is 6:50pm.
