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

Nichols, NY — It was ladies night at Tioga Downs as the 2- and 3-year-old filly pacers were in the spotlight on Friday night (July 16) for the Tompkins-Geers as part of the four-day race weekend.

Fred Brown photo

Galimony and Jim Morrill, Jr. were 1:53.2 winners in Tompkins-Geers action.

In the lone $62,107 division for 3-year-old pacing fillies, Galimony continued her success around the five-eighths-mile oval of Tioga Downs with her third win in four career starts in Nichols.

Galimony left from post position three with Jim Morrill, Jr. at the controls, and he sent the daughter of Artiscape-Ideal Gal to the front through fractions of :26.4 and :56.3 as the duo parked out Howard Parker and Naughty Indeed. When the field straightened out down the backside, Galimony had rebuffed the challenge from Parker, but was under siege once again, this time with Shaky Hanover and Eric Goodell.

Galimony and Shaky Hanover battled by the three-quarter mark that flashed up in 1:25, and as the field turned for home the stubborn Shaky Hanover finally gave way to Galimony in 1:53.2. Shaky Hanover hung on for second, while a fast closing Tia Maria Hanover (Jimmy Marohn, Jr.) got up for third.

It was the third win in six seasonal starts for Galimony who is trained by Linda Toscano for Stake Your Claim Stable.

In the 2-year-old filly bracket, Drop The Ball made her second lifetime start, which was her second start in a row at Tioga Downs. In the process she broke her own track record, set last Friday night in 1:53.1.

Morrill did the steering for Drop The Ball, and put the daughter of Western Terror-Mattcheck Girl on the engine through fractions of :28.3, :57 and 1:25 before sprinting away from the field in :27.4, stopping the timer in 1:52.4.

Also capturing divisions of the Tompkins-Geers for 2-year-old pacing fillies were See You At Peelers (1:54, Jim Morrill, Jr.); Southwind Jazmin (1:55.2, Jim Morrill, Jr.); Character Flaw (1:55.3, Bruce Ranger); and Winsmith Jess (1:56, Jim Taggart, Jr.).

Tioga Downs continues racing on Saturday, July 17, with a post time of 6:50 p.m. For more information visit www.tiogadowns.com.