by Dustin Ross, Regional Racing Operations Manager, Tioga Downs & Vernon Downs

Nichols, NY — Tioga Downs will feature two late closing finals on Sunday, June 28 with a post time of 1:30 pm, the Belltone Hearing Center Trot for $42,200 and the M&J Oil and Lube Pace for $39,400.

In the Belltone Hearing Center Trot, three 4-year-old gelding trotters will put their two race win streak on the line as Fort Benning, Strong Hall, and Tropicana Ron have swept the two legs of the series. Fort Benning is a 4-year-old gelded son of Donerail-Dream Of Power who is trained by Phil Fluet and has been driven throughout the series by Mike Simons, he will leave from post position five in the final. He pulled the pocket down the stretch in last week’s second leg to win by three parts of a length in 1:56.4. Strong Hall and Barry Segal will line up behind post position number four for Sunday afternoon’s final. The 4-year-old Angus Hall-Casa Marina has won four of seven starts on the year and established a new lifetime mark of 1:56.2 in last week’s victory. The other double leg winner Tropicana Ron and Howard Parker have been slated with post position number seven in the final. Nick Giberson trains the 4-year-old son of Armbro Tropicana-Le Pix for Ronald Mario of Fort Myers Beach, Florida.

In the final of the M&J Oil and Lube Pace, Touch and Go and Howard Parker have been listed as the 5-2 morning line favorite. The duo clinched both legs of the series in 1:52.1 followed up by an off the pace victory in 1:52.2. The 4-year-old son of Life Sign-Go Lightly is trained by Nick Giberson and will leave from post position number six. Cheyenne Knight and trainer-driver Bruce Clarke have been listed as the 7-2 second choice. The 4-year-old Dragon Again-Cheyenne Sabrina have won five of nine on the year, and established a lifetime best of 1:51.4 three starts back at Tioga Downs. Below are the fields for Sunday afternoon’s finals:

Race: 4 Belltone Hearing Center Trot Final Purse: $42,200
PP Horse Driver Trainer
1 Darlabar Man John Plutino Bucky Angle Jr.
2 Saratoga National Kim Crawford Maureen Salino
3 Chip And Run Jason Bartlett Gil Lawyer
4 Strong Hall Barry Segel Cynthia Milano
5 Fort Benning Mike Simons Phil Fluet
6 I Know Magic Jason Bartlett David Jannone
7 Tropicana Ron Howard Parker Nick Giberson
8 Stormont Reception Jordan Stratton Arthur Green
9 Shocker Jason Bartlett Jimmy Cruise Jr.

Race: 7 M&J Oil and Lube Pace Final Purse: $39,400
PP Horse Driver Trainer
1 Boundless Honor Kyle Di Benedetto Patty Harris
2 Vlos Jimmy Marohn Jr. Michael Nykun
3 Magic Show TBA Nick Giberson
4 P H Tornado Billy Dobson Arthur Green
5 Fox Valley Steamin Andy Santeramo Frank Calcagni
6 Touch And Go Howard Park Nick Giberson
7 Prime Time Talent Matt Kakaley Michael Deters
8 Cheyenne Knight Bruce Clarke Bruce Clarke