Nichols, NY – Mike Merton drove five winners at Tioga Downs on Saturday (June 1) and led Tag Up And Go ($7) to a win in the featured $12,000 Open Handicap Trot.

One of driver Mike Merton’s five winners at Tioga Downs, Tag Up and Go took the Saturday night feature. Fred Brown Photo.

In the feature, Dragin The Wagon (Aaron Byron) put up all the early fractions (:28.1, :58, 1:26.1) before The Last Chapter (Mike Simons) took the lead at the top of the stretch.

Tag Up And Go, who is trained by Patti Harmon for owners Lester Gelardi Jr. and Anthony Passafaro, went second over fourth as they hit three-quarters.  He would go four wide in mid-stretch and when The Last Chapter went off-stride in deep stretch, Tag Up And Go went by to win in 1:55.2.  Dragin The Wagon settled for second best.  Prairie Fortune (Jim Meittinis) finished third.

For Tag Up And Go, a 9-year-old gelding by Angus Hall, it was his seventh win of 2019 including the last five in a row.  He now has 46 career victories.

Merton’s five wins included two more wins with trainer Patti Harmon.  Their other two wins came with Tropical Trice ($5.70) and Quick Deal ($14).  His other driving wins came with Kabang ($16.60) and Choochoocharlie ($13.80).

Tioga Downs returns to live racing on Sunday (June 2) with a 13-race card starting at 1 p.m.

For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.