Tioga Downs press release

How’d you like to race your $10,000 claimer against other $10,000 claimers for a purse of around $100,000? Sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not.

Tioga Downs will offer horsemen this opportunity with the second edition of the Rags to Riches late closer. The conditions of the race call for nominees to have started for a base claiming price of $10,000 or less between April 1 and May 24, 2008. It is recommended that interested parties read over the conditions thoroughly.

The series offers a single elimination format over three preliminary legs to reach the rich final. The purse for the legs increases from $7,500 to $8,500 then $10,000 on the way to the estimated $100,000 final. There will be no claiming throughout the series. The cost to nominate is $550, due May 15, with another $550 due for entry in the June 8 first leg only. The series will continue each Sunday throughout the month, culminating with the June 29 final.

Last year, Frank and Lisa Matassa’s Rummy picked up just shy of $50,000 in three weeks as he swept through the legs and final (actual purse $85,000), pretty strong earnings per start for horses of any class.

All pertinent information, including nomination forms and race conditions may be accessed at the Tioga Downs website.