EBC finals, Artiscape, Reynolds headline marquee Sunday at Tioga
August 25, 2016,by James Witherite, Tioga Downs racing media
Nichols, NY — A trio of prestigious pacing events share top billing on Sunday (Aug. 28) afternoon at Tioga Downs, with more than $650,000 on the line in the Empire Breeders Classics for New York-sired 3-year-olds and the Artiscape for top older pacing mares.
In the $239,225 filly division of the Empire Breeders Classic, carded as the seventh of nine races on the afternoon program, elimination winners Penpal and No Clouds Bluechip square off against seven others.
Penpal (post five), a daughter of American Ideal, vaulted off the cover of Dime A Dance en route to a narrow 1:51.3 victory over sloppy going. Trainer Pat Lachance is once again listed to drive the four-time winner, whose greatest success on the national stage came in her runner-up performance in the Mistletoe Shalee.
No Clouds Bluechip (post three) captured the other elimination in pillar-to-post fashion, earning her sixth career win in 1:53. Brett Miller was aboard for last week’s odds-on win, and he is again nominated to drive the Roll With Joe filly for trainer John Berger.
Colts and geldings square off in a $240,475 final, programmed as race eight. American Passport (post three) found new life in two recent Southern Tier appearances after failed bids in the Adios and the Cane Pace. The Tony Alagna-trained American Ideal colt repelled pressure en route to a 1:51 triumph in his elimination last week, and Scott Zeron is once again nominated to drive (also listed on Craftship).
The five-time winner faces the likes of Rooney winner Missile J (post two, Tim Tetrick) and last week’s other elimination winner Redneck Rally (post five, Andy Miller), whose 39-1 upset over the likes of the heavily favored Roll Away Joe stunned.
A full field of 10 pacing mares are due to line up in the $200,000 Artiscape, the afternoon’s finale. Despite the presence of millionaires Venus Delight (post two, Jason Bartlett nominated) and Anndrovette (post five, Tetrick), Ontario-based Lady Shadow has taken the distaff division by storm with wins in the Golden Girls and the Lady Liberty. The 5-year-old Shadow Play mare’s 2:00.3 victory in the Golden Girls earned her the overall world record for pacers at the 1-1/8th mile distance. Yannick Gingras is nominated to drive the 22-time winner for trainer Ronald Adams.
While the three top-dollar events bring the Sunday card to a close, a trio of W. N. Reynolds Memorial Stakes divisions provide for a healthy undercard. An octet of 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings vie for $55,780 in the Judge Moore (race one), while 10 trotting fillies contest a pair of $29,190 Meda splits (races five and five).
Post time for the Sunday card at Tioga Downs is 1:30 p.m., with full coverage on the Tioga Downs Racing Network due to begin at 1:05 p.m.
- Solar Sister defeats Lady Shadow in Artiscape; favorites upended in EBC (Sunday, August 28, 2016)
Solar Sister ($9.50) stole the show in the final 150 yards of Sunday afternoon’s (Aug. 28) stakes-laden card at Tioga Downs, dueling down prohibitive favorite Lady Shadow for a 1:49.4 triumph in the $200,000 Artiscape distaff pace. Favorites were upended in the Empire Breeders Classics as well, as No Clouds Bluechip ($7.00) and Fresh Cut ($36.00) both took top honors in their respective events for New York-sired 3-year-old pacers. On the undercard, trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt swept a trio of W. N. Reynolds Memorial events for 2-year-old trotters.