by Dustin Ross, for Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY — Tioga Downs is gearing up for another weekend of racing with nine races on Friday (6:50 p.m.), ten races on Saturday (6:50 p.m.), and ten races on Sunday (1:15 p.m.).

Sunday’s (June 10) live racing program will feature the semi-finals of the Rags To Riches late closing series. Two fields of nine will attempt to make it to the $85,000 final that will be held next Sunday, June 17. The top four finishers in each division along with the fastest fifth place finisher will move on in the bracket at a chance to be the 2007 Rags To Riches champion.

Three elimination winners from last week (Fire In The Hole, Mack In Black, and Rummy) have drawn in the first division, slated as race eight. Rummy and Howard Parker posted the fastest elimination win last week with a front end score in 1:53.4 for trainer Paul Szalay, Jr.

Drawing in the second division, slated for race ten, was the other elimination winner, Rascal Blue Chip. He has drawn the dreaded nine hole in the semi-final for trainer Peter Foley.

Tuffofthetoughest will look for his initial score at Tioga Downs on Sunday in the $15,000 Open Pace for Ray Schnittker. The 4-year old son of Bettor’s Delight finished second last week behind Tarver Hanover when he set a new track record with a mile of 1:50.

The $15,000 Open Handicap Trot has drawn a field of eight to go postward in the ninth race on Sunday afternoon. Ray Schnittker will send out Armbro Copenhagen, who finished second last week as the trotting track record was shattered by Woody Woodrow in 1:53.3.

Rickie will also look to get back on track after making an unusual break going to the half last week for driver Larry Stalbaum. The 7-year-old gelded son of S J’s Photo has made more than $90,000 in 15 seasonal starts thus far in 2007 with a mark of 1:54.1.