by James Witherite, Tioga Downs racing media

Nichols, NY — An overall increase in handle (total money wagered) and seven track record performances marked a successful 2014 season at Tioga Downs, which concluded on Saturday (Sept. 13).

Overall handle on the 61-day meet was considerably improved in comparison to the 2013 season, with all-sources handle showing a 5.4 percent increase. This increase was largely due to a more involved simulcast audience, whose handle was 13.4 percent higher than in the previous season.

“We thank our customers and horsemen for their support of our 2014 racing season,” said Jason M. Settlemoir, Regional Vice President of Racing at Tioga Downs. “We are proud of the great competitive racing on our five-eighths-mile track, and that it continues to be well received across the North American harness racing audience.”

With respect to the record books, 4-year-old distaff trotter Charmed Life and driver Jody Jamieson established a new overall record for trotters on New York State’s only five-eighths-mile track, winning their Miss Versatility preliminary in 1:52.2 as part of the Cane Pace undercard on Sept. 1.

Trotting geldings Datsyuk (3-year-old, Charlie Norris), Obrigado (4-year-old, Aaron Byron), and Traverse Seelster (older, Brandon Simpson) also turned in track-record performances through the season, scoring in 1:53.1, 1:52.3, and 1:52.4, respectively. The 2-year-old trotting filly Jolene Jolene (David Miller) equaled You Want Me’s mark of 1:55.2 as well, completing the quintet of record established on the trotting side of the ledger.

Additionally, a pair of pacers entered the Tioga record books, with Sweet Lou‘s 1:48.3 triumph in the Roll With Joe on June 1 (Ron Pierce aboard) equaling Shark Gesture’s past mark for older pacing horses. Mosquito Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) set a new record outright for 2-year-old pacing fillies, proving victorious in 1:52.1.

Jim Marohn Jr. claimed his third consecutive driving title with 91 wins on the meet, 13 more than runner-up Aaron Byron. Top training honors went to Mike Deters, who took his second training title and first outright with 33 wins. Normand Fluet and Gail Wrubel finished in a dead heat for second with 20 wins apiece.