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

Nichols, NY — Six divisions of New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old colt trotters headline a 12-race card on Sunday afternoon (July 26) at Tioga Downs.

Ray Schnittker will pull in on Sunday morning with a trailer full of five trotting colts including the undefeated Margarita Man. The son of Malabar Man-Margarita Miss has made his first two career starts look like a walk in the park, winning both by a combined 34-1/2 lengths. His first start was won at Goshen by 23-1/4 lengths in 2:00.2, followed up by an 11-1/4 length triumph at Buffalo Raceway in 2:02.2.

Margarita Man was purchased at the 2008 Harrisburg Sale for $35,000 by the Margarita Man Stable of Middleton, New York. The colt is a half brother to the great trotting mare Rum Boogie. Schnittker, who co-owns Margarita Man in partnership with seven others, will be in the sulky in race number three, and the duo have been listed as the 2-1 morning line favorite.

One of the more compelling match-ups for the afternoon is when Big Stick Lindy (Schnittker) will face off against Carbon Footprint (Jim Morrill, Jr.) in the fifth race, third division of the Sire Stakes.

Fred Brown Photography

Carbon Footprint (#7) won his Tompkins-Geers division in a time of 1:59.2.

Carbon Footprint, a $190,000 yearling purchase, is trained by Erv Miller and has posted one win and one second in two lifetime starts. The son of Credit Winner-Lookout Victory broke his maiden last week at Tioga in a division of the Tompkins-Geers with Morrill in the sulky.

However, Big Stick Lindy is well bred and has shown promise in his first two lifetime starts with a win and a second place. The son of Conway Hall-Peace A Pie colt was purchased for $105,000 as a yearling and is a full brother to the great Pizza Dolce. Big Stick Lindy is owned by Schnittker, K R Breeding, Steven Arnold, and Jerry Silva.

Carbon Footprint has been given the nod as the 5-2 morning line favorite with post position six, with Big Stick Lindy leaving from the rail as the second choice at 7-2.

One of Schnittker’s other colts, Shaq Is Back, will get his rematch with Proper Villain, who defeated him in Sire Stake action on July 8 at Buffalo Raceway. Schnittker got away in the pocket that night behind Proper Villain (Jack Flanigen), but was unable to pick up the pacesetter down the stretch, losing by a head in 2:03.

Shaq Is Back was a $30,000 yearling purchase for Givemethecredit Stable of Middletown, New York and is a half brother to Velocity Hall. Proper Villain was purchased as a yearling for $47,000 by the Proper Villain Stable of Hamburg, New York, while co-owner Allan McCarty also does the training.

Proper Villain has been given the edge as the 5-2 morning line favorite from post position seven, while Shaq Is Back will leave from post position six as the 7-2 second choice.

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