by James Witherite, Tioga Downs racing media

Nichols, NY — Fresh off his 1:47 win in the U.S. Pacing Championship, State Treasurer ($3.50) maintained his superiority in the older pacing ranks with a 1:47.2 triumph in the $150,000 Roll With Joe, held Sunday (August 23) afternoon at Tioga Downs.

Fred Brown photo

State Treasurer (David Miller) knocks two fifths of a second off the overall track record for pacers at Tioga Downs, taking the $150,000 Roll With Joe in a handy 1:47.2.

The 6-year-old Real Desire entire tracked early pacesetters Dancin Yankee (Jim Morrill, Jr.) and Doctor Butch (Brian Sears) through the first turn, brushing to the fore just after a :26.3 first quarter.

Assuming control with a circuit to go, State Treasurer rated a :54.3 initial half before David Miller cut him loose on the backstretch. State Treasurer used a :26 third quarter to evade the first-over challenge of Clear Vision (Brett Miller), in fact drawing clear to a four-length lead on the far turn as pocket rival Dancin Yankee could no longer keep pace.

State Treasurer prevailed by 3-3/4 lengths in the end, well in hand at the winning post with plenty in reserve beyond his 1:47.2 mile clocking. Clear Vision held second, while Foiled Again (Yannick Gingras) stayed on for third off a second-over trip.

Dr. Ian Moore trains State Treasurer for owners Sally and Paul MacDonald.

Mosquito Blue Chip, Rockin in Heaven upset in EBC finals

Earlier in the card, Mosquito Blue Chip ($10.20) mounted a late rally to collar odds-on favorite Divine Caroline in the $269,000 Empire Breeders Classic for New York-sired 3-year-old pacing fillies, while Rockin in Heaven ($24.80) sustained a first-over bid before holding off odds-on entry mates Betting Exchange and In the Arsenal–and a few others–in the $290,000 Empire Breeders Classic for New York-sired 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings.

In the distaff division, Mosquito Blue Chip found herself locked in just prior to a :54.4 half-mile from Divine Caroline (David Miller), just three lengths off the lead but lacking for racing room until the conclusion of the final turn. Off the corner, Jim Morrill, Jr. was able to find room with the Bettor’s Delight filly, mounting a three-wide rally past pocket rival Band of Angels (Gingras) in the final sixteenth–and ultimately to just nab Divine Caroline at the winning post for a 1:49.3 score.

Trainer Paul Jessop shares in ownership of Mosquito Blue Chip with the Our Three Sons Stable and Donato Falcicchio.

In the male division, Arque Hanover (George Brennan) made an early push to the lead, taking over from Betting Exchange (Gingras) with a circuit to go and controlling a :54.4 half before bracing for the first-over Rockin In Heaven. After dueling through a :27.2 third quarter, Rockin in Heaven got the better of Arque Hanover, extending his lead to 1-1/2 lengths at the eighth pole while Arque Hanover faded off the corner. Upon establishing a clear lead, David Miller had to call upon the son of Rock N Roll Heaven for all he had, just staving off a late charge from Artistic Major (Morrill) by a neck in 1:50. A Bettor Hat (Brett Miller) rallied from deeper back, overcoming a fourth-over trip to just miss by half a length, finishing third.

Trainer Dr. Ian Moore co-owns Rockin in Heaven with Douglas Polley, Francois Lecomte, and Gordon McComb.

Reynolds Stakes contested

In addition to the Roll With Joe and the Empire Breeders Classic finals, 2-year-old trotters contested a number of Reynolds Stakes divisions on the Sunday program at Tioga. The most notable victor was Southwind Frank ($2.90), a 2-year-old Muscle Hill colt who earned his fifth career win in 1:54.2 just two weeks after his triumph in the Peter Haughton Memorial. Yannick Gingras was in the bike for trainer Ron Burke.

Live racing returns to Tioga on Friday (August 28) evening, with post time at 6:15 p.m. Eastern.