by Dustin Ross, regional racing operations manager, Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY — Tioga Downs hosted five divisions of New York State Fair Stakes for 2-year-old filly trotters on Friday night (August 15).

Fred Brown Photography

She’s So Savvy was a 1:58.4 winner for Howard Okusko, Jr.

Howard Okusko, Jr. and She’s So Savvy (Malabar Man-Twitty) posted the fastest split in the first division with a new lifetime mark of 1:58.4. The Purple Haze Stable LLC paid $45,000 for She’s So Savvy as a yearling and in four lifetime starts she has banked over $46,000. The trotting filly is now three for four in her young career with her only loss coming with a miscue behind the starting gate on July 25 at Tioga.

Gift Card stayed a perfect two-for-two with a win in her division with trainer-driver Frank Antonacci in the sulky. The daughter of Credit Winner-Mary Lou Hall actually finished second in the race, but after an objection was placed the winner. The objection came as the initial winner Dream Edition and Jim Devaux came out underneath Gift Card. They were placed second. The mile of 2:00.4 was a new lifetime mark for Gift Card, and with more than $28,000 in earnings, she is beginning to pay back her initial sticker price of $115,000 as a yearling.

The other NY State Fair winners were New Hampshire Girl (Conway Hall-Yankee Kelsie), who was second placed first in 2:02.2; Contag Way (Conway Hall-BWT Maija), a 2:00.2 winner; and Beachcomber (Conway Hall-Enjoy The Sun), who scored in 2:02.1.

Complete charts of the State Fair races are available by clicking on this link.

Jim Morrill, Jr. posted a driving double, while nine other drivers enjoyed a trip to the winner’s circle on the 11-race card.

Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Saturday, August 16, with a post time of 6:50 p.m. For more information on Tioga Downs please visit www.tiogadowns.com or call 1-888-WIN-TIOGA.