by John Horne, for Tioga Downs
Nichols, NY — Tioga Downs will welcome three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for sophomore trotting colts and geldings on Friday (June 15).
The $39,900 first division will feature the sophomore debut of Fourth Dimension (Brian Sears). The 2-1 morning line favorite hasn’t raced since his win in the Valley Victory final at the Meadowlands on Nov. 25. The colt by Chapter Seven is owned by Courant Inc. and trained by Marcus Melander. He won eight of 11 starts as a 2-year-old, amassing almost $400,000 a season ago.
The second morning line choice at 5-2 is Helpisontheway (Tim Tetrick). The colt by Chapter Seven has won a leg of the NYSS and finished fourth at the Empire Breeders Classic earlier this year at Vernon Downs. Linda Toscano trains the colt owned by Camelot Stable, The Bay’s Stable, and Little E LLC.
The $40,600 second division morning line favorite is Tito (Marcus Miller) at 5-2. Owned by Anthony Lombardi, George Golemes, and Louis WIllinger, while trained by Erv Miller, the colt by Muscle Mass is looking for his first win of 2018. He won four races as a freshman.
The second choice for the second division is Purpose Blue Chip (Dan Daley), who won his first race of the season during a leg of the NYSS on June 6 at Buffalo. The colt by Chapter Seven is trained by Dan Dailey for owners Ann-Mari Dailey, James Crawford IV, Richard Lombardo, and Donald Brenner. He is the second choice at 3-1 even though he beat the morning line favorite Tito his last time out at Buffalo, going gate-to-wire.
The $39,900 third division features morning line favorite Don (Jim Morrill Jr.). Trained by Julie Miller and owned by Andy Miller Stable and Little E LLC, the colt by Credit Winner has won two legs of the NYSS this season. He picked up those wins at Vernon Downs (May 11) and Buffalo Raceway (June 6).
The second favorite is Southwind Chrome (Scott Zeron) at 3-1. The colt by Chapter Seven didn’t race as a 2-year-old and even though he is winless in three starts, he was impressive in the EBC final at Vernon Downs. He charged late in the stretch and finished second to Six Pack by a half-length. Owned by Dreamville Stable and trained by Paula Wellwood, he will go for his first win of his career at the five-eighths-mile oval in Nichols, N.Y.
The 13-race card at Tioga Downs on Friday (June 15) starts at 6:15 p.m. For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com.