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

Nichols, NY — Two of the top contenders in the M&J Oil and Lube Pace at Tioga Downs have drawn in against one another on Saturday night, June 13. Cheyenne Knight and Prime Time Talent will hook up in the second division with both horses laying their winning streaks on the line.

Fred Brown Photography

Cheyenne Knight heads into the first leg of the M&J Oil and Lube Pace as one of the favorites.

Cheyenne Knight, the winner of his last two starts, is coming off a lifetime best 1:51.4 in the Open II Pace last week. Trainer-driver Bruce Clarke will once again be in the sulky behind the 4-year-old son of Dragon Again-Cheyenne Sabrina, leaving from post position one. Cheyenne Knight has been enlisted as the 6-5 morning line favorite for the $9,500 first leg of the M&J Oil and Lube Pace.

Prime Time Talent, who was recently featured on the USTA Web site for his mid-season spike, is a winner of his last four races, including all three of his trips around the five-eighths-mile oval at Tioga Downs. He is a 4-year-old son of Kassa Branca-Dea’s Camstress who is trained by Michael Deters for the Pine Vue Stables LLC. Matt Kakaley has been in the bike for all three of Prime Time Talent’s wins at Tioga and will once again be in the sulky on Saturday night.

Kakaley usually drives at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday nights, but since Prime Time Talent is beginning the first leg of the series he will be going postward in nine of Tioga’s ten races on the card. Prime Time Talent has been listed as the 3-1 second choice and will leave from post position five in race number seven.

The M&J Oil and Lube Pace will be contested in two legs, before the $39,400 final on Sunday, June 28.

Rags to Riches series continues on Sunday

Tioga Downs will hold the semi-final round of the Rags to Riches pacing series on Sunday afternoon, June 14, with a post time of 1:30 p.m. Eighteen current or former $10,000 claiming pacers will line up in two divisions to determine the nine finalists for the $75,000 final on Sunday, June 21.

The first division, slated as race number four on the card, holds the two fastest division winners from last Sunday’s eliminations. Mcardles Charm and Mark Gingrich, who won their division easily in 1:52.3, will leave from post position number five. Scotts Rolls Royce and Jimmy Whisman, who circled the field in their elimination event in 1:52.4, will line up behind the starting gate in post position number seven.

The second division also holds two elimination winners in My Wicked Willie and Jason Bartlett along with Camsurge for Ron Cushing. My Wicked Willie tipped off three wide cover around the last turn to pace through the lane a winner at 1-2 last week for Bartlett. Mark Kesmodel trains the 10-year-old Village Connection-Try My Design gelding for Joseph Davino. My Wicked Willie will leave from post position number four in Sunday’s seventh race.

Camsurge was a longshot winner in last week’s eliminations with Kevin Hough in the bike at odds of 20-1, but will be driven in the semi-finals by trainer Cushing. The 13-year-old son of Cam Fella has started in 361 races and has finished in the top three in over 40 percent of his lifetime starts. He has earned more than $576,000 and took his mark of 1:50.1 at The Meadowlands at the age of nine. Camsurge will leave from post position number six.

For more information on Tioga Downs, visit www.tiogadowns.com.