by John Horne, for Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY — The Empires Breeders Classic (EBC) eliminations for sophomore colts and geldings pacers as well as filly pacers, were at Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 13) as part of a 15-race card. There were three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for freshman trotting fillies as well.

In the first elimination for colts and geldings it was In A Single Bound (Billy Dobson) who would come out on top.

Plunge Blue Chip sets a track record of 1:55.1 at Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon.

In A Single Bound (Roll With Joe) would lead to the first quarter in :27.3. The favorite Miso Fast (Matt Kakaley) would take over before the clubhouse turn He would control the the pace all the way to the top of the stretch. Owned by Dennis and Simone Noud and trained by Monica Krist, In A Single Bound ($5.70) would pop out of the pocket and battle Miso Fast (Roll WIth Joe) all the way down the stretch. In A Single Bound would lunge at the wire to win in 1:50.4. It was his eighth win in 11 starts as a 3-year-old.

Miso Fast would finish second and qualify for the finals. The third qualifier would br Outkast Blue Chip.

In the second elimination, Art Scene (Scott Zeron) would shock the 1-9 favorite Funknwaffles (Corey Callahan).

Geez Joe (Brian Sears) would lay down the first quarter time in :27.3. Funknwaffles (American Ideal) would then take control hitting the half in :56 and three-quarters in 1:24.1. That is when Art Scene (American Ideal) would make his move going first-over.

Art Scene ($33.20) who is owned by Brittany Farms, Alagna Racing, In The Gym Partners and American Art Stable, would duel the favorite in the stretch to win by a neck at the wire in 1:51.2.

Trained by Tony Alagna, the 3-year-old colt would win for just the second time in his career while setting a lifetime best mile.

Funknwaffles would finish second to qualify for the final. Music Is Art (Tim Tetrick) would also qualify by finishing third.

Heaven’s Gait (David Miller) would win the third elimination by four lengths.

Uffizi (Tim Tetrick) would carve out all the early fractions of :27.0, :56.2, 1:23.4. The 3-year-old would start to fizzle out at the top of the stretch. Chip Walther (Brian Sears) would then take over. The lead was short lived as Heaven’s Gait (Rock N Roll Heaven), who is owned by John Cummins and trained by Nicholas Devita, would blow right by to win in 1:50.4. The winner paid $4.40 and won for ninth time in his career.

Chip Walther (Art Major) would qualify by finishing second. Talent Soup (Brett Miller) would take third to qualify as well.

On the fillies side the first elimination went to Clear Idea (Mark MacDonald).

Fred Brown photos

White Cheetah breaks her maiden on Sunday.

Clear Idea (American Ideal), who is owned by Huff Racing and trainer Mark Macintosh, would go gate-to-wire with fractions of :27.1, :56.4, 1:24.3, 1:52.0. She would win for the seventh straight time, but it wasn’t easy. Roaring To Go (Brett Miller) would sneak up on the inside and fall short by just a neck.

Clear Idea ($3.10), would win for the 10th time in her career. Finishing second was Roaring To Go (Art Major). The other qualifiers were Obvious Blue Chip (Scott Zeron), who finished third, Gurl Band K (Tim Tetrick), fourth, and Ameraway (Corey Callahan) finished fifth and won the wild-card pick.

The second elimination went to the favorite Tequilla Monday (Brian Sears).

Tequila Monday (American Ideal) would take over just after the first quarter and then cruise home to win in 1:51.0. She is owned by North Fork Racing Stable with Chuck Pompey and trained by Chris Oakes.

Tequila Monday ($2.70) would win for the sixth time this season and the 10th time in her career.

The other qualifiers were American Sara (Scott Zeron) who finished second. Shepulledthegoalie (David Miller) finished third while Candlelight Dinner (Brett Miller) finished fourth.

Also on the card was the NYSS freshman fillies. The undefeated Plunge Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt) would set the track record for 2-year-old trotting fillies in the third division of the NYSS.

Entrymate Fury Road (Mark MacDonald) would lead after a first quarter of :28.4. Plunge Blue Chip (Muscle Mass-Dunk The Donato) would take over as they went past the stands for the first time. She would then control the entire race with fractions of :58.2, 1:26.2, 1:55.1 to eclipse the track record by a fifth of a second.

Lucky Rainbow (David Miller) would finish second best while Atlanta (Rick Zeron) settled for third.

Plunge Blue Chip ($3.20) is owned Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc. and trainer Svanstedt. She is now four-for-four as a freshman trotter.

In the first division of the NYSS, big long shot and first time starter Setntheworldonfire (Troy Beyer) would win in 1:57.1.

Settintheworldonfire (Muscles Yankee-Gaelic) who is owned by Birdie Path Stables LTD. and trainer Noel Daley would make a three-wide move in the stretch to nip A Gift For You (Tim Tetrick) at the wire. Settintheworldonfire would pay $130.00 for the win

A Gift For You (Credit Winner-Soprano Hanover) would finish second. Big Checkmate (Donald Dupont) was third.

The second division winner was White Cheetah (Mark MacDonald).

After the big favorite Seven Carats (Tim Tetrick) went on a break, Perfect Summer K (Brian Sears) would control all the early fractions of :28.1, :57.4, 1:27.1.

White Cheetah (Muscle Mass-Wheely Quick) would go three-wide at the top of the stretch and looked like a cheetah as she blew by to win in 1:57.4. Perfect Summer K (Conway Hall-American Miss K) would finish second. Jackie Newlands (Scott Zeron) would get third.

White Cheetah ($33.80) is owned by J Sbrocco, Stable 45 and trainer Paul Kelley. She would win for the first time in four starts.

Here are the fields for the EBC finals:

Colt and gelding final ($268,100).

1-In A Single Bound
2-Heaven’s Gait
3-Art Scene
4-Miso Fast
5-Music Is Art
6-Chip Walther
7-Talent Soup
8-Outkast Blue Chip
9-Funknwaffles

Filly final ($262,850)

1-Tequila Monday
2-Clear Idea
3-Obvious Bluechip
4-American Sara
5-Candlelight Dinner
6-Ameriway
7-Roaring To Go
8-Shepulledthegoalie
9-Gurl Band K

Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Monday (Aug. 14) with an 11-race card starting at 6:50 p.m.

For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.