by Dustin Ross, regional racing operations manager, Tioga/Vernon Downs

Nichols, NY — The nominations are in for the some of the main events in the Empire State to be held at Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs in 2009. Many of the sport’s elite members have been nominated for top events such as the Conway Hall, Credit Winner, Miss Versatility, Artiscape, and The Empire Breeders Classic.

In the trotting mares division for the Conway Hall and the Miss Versatility Trotting Series, division champ Buck I St Pat leads the list of eligibles for the 2009 edition. Buck I St Pat captured the opening leg of the Miss Versatility Trotting Series at The Meadowlands last May and finished second to Godiva Hall in the second leg at Tioga Downs. Although an injury sidelined her from competing in the third leg of the series and the final, she is back and eligible for the 2009 edition.

The 2008 defending champion of the Conway Hall, Falls For You, is once again eligible to the 2009 edition and will look to lower her stakes record of 1:53.1 at Vernon Downs.

Lantern Kronos has also paid up to take on the best older trotting mares in the game after her sensational sophomore season in 2008. The Jimmy Takter trainee won 12 of her 18 starts last year, with a mark of 1:52.3 and just over $900,000 in seasonal earnings.

The 2008 Breeders Crown champion for 3-year old trotting fillies, Kadealia, has thrown her name into the mix to take on some of the sport’s older trotting mares in the Conway Hall and Miss Versatility. Tim Tetrick steered Kadealia to an upset victory at 75-1 in the Breeders Crown for conditioner George Teague, Jr. The 4-year-old Kadabra-New Ideal trotter has banked over $500,000 for owner Elmer Fannin in just 35 career starts.

The defending Artiscape champ and all-age track record holder My Little Dragon, who paced to the first sub-1:50 mile in Vernon’s track history, is once again eligible for the 2009 edition. The Artiscape has been relocated from Vernon Downs to Tioga Downs for the 2009 race and will be held on closing night, Saturday, September 12.

Last year’s second place finisher, Darlin’s Delight, along with this year’s early season star Martha Maxine, Southwind Tempo, and Tug River Princess all remain eligible for the 2009 Artiscape to be raced at Tioga Downs.

The Credit Winner Trot has drawn nominations from 41 of the best trotters in the game. They are led by Enough Talk, the first trotter in history to record a sub-1:50 mile; Corleone Kosmos, who battled Enough Talk for the 2008 year end award; and Arch Madness, who finished his 4-year-old campaign with three wins and six seconds from 11 starts. This could prove to be one of the best groups of Free For All trotters the game has seen in quite a few years.

The 2009 edition of The Empire Breeders Classic has more than 115 sophomores eligible for the $1 million (est.) in purses.

Leading the way in the 3-year-old colt division is NYSS champion Hay Goodlooking, who won six of nine starts as a freshman and took his 1:52.4 mark at Tioga Downs. Hypnotic Blue Chip is also an early season favorite after his victory in the Junior Trendsetter Series at The Meadowlands in late February. He has made seven starts in 2009 and has yet to finish worse than third.

New York bred star and freshman sire stakes champion Donttellmywife leads the list of eligibles for colt and gelding trotters. The 3-year-old Malabar Man-Nowerland Sweet T trotter was a perfect seven for seven during his freshman campaign and took his 1:58.2 lifetime mark in the New York Sire Stakes final at Yonkers Raceway.

Trotting sensation Honorable Daughter leads the list of 32 sophomore trotting fillies eligible for the 2009 Empire Breeders Classic. The 3-year-old Malabar Man-Honorable Mother filly showed her versatility as a 2-year-old by winning nine of 11 races on three different sized tracks. She is campaigned out of the Remmen Stable and her usual pilot, Hall of Famer John Campbell, steered her to a Breeders Crown victory in her last start of the year in 2008.

Vernon Downs’ live racing season begins on Friday, April 17, with a post time of 6:55 p.m., while Tioga Downs kicks off with a Derby Day Bash on Saturday, May 2, with post time at 6:50 p.m.

For more information on Tioga Downs or Vernon Downs please visit our Web sites at www.tiogadowns.com and www.vernondowns.com.