by Nick Salvi, for Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY — The Grand Circuit makes its annual stop at Tioga Downs this week for the $500,000 Tompkins-Geers stakes.

On Thursday evening the freshman trotters are featured in three divisions each of fillies and colts.

The girls open the card with Andy and Julie Miller sending out the favorites in both ends of the daily double. L Dees Scripture has made but one start, however that was an impressive 1:58.4, open length win in a Meadowlands freshman race. Lawrence Dumain and Carlo Lattinelli own the daughter of Credit Winner-Graceful Way.

Annies List has a more extensive resume, winning all three of her starts and going faster each time. The most recent was a dominant 10 length, 1:57.3 win at Harrah’s Philadelphia in an overnight. She is a Conway Hall-Ann’s Promise and is owned by the Millers.

The third $25,257 division is led by Flyhawk Falina, a Cash Hall-Nowerland Nanette filly racing out of the Dan Daley barn. She won a New York Sires Stakes division in 2:03 at Buffalo in her first money start for owners Joe Pennacchio, Ann-Mari Daley and Michael White.

The colts split three ways as well, with each division for a purse in the $23,000 range. They begin in race four where Big Bang Hanover, a Donato Hanover-CR Calendar Girl colt, makes his first start for money after four qualifiers. The most recent of those was his best, a 1:58.2 win for trainer Jim Campbell and owner Shore Thing Stables. Matt Kakaley is in for the drive.

Keystone Wasabi leads the contenders in race five. The Cantab Hall-Womanly Image colt is already a PA Sires Stakes winner, taking his 1:58.2 record at Pocono for the Kitefield Stable and trainer Janice Connor. Jim Morril, Jr. will drive.

The Little E, LLC homebred entry of Opulent Yankee and Starsaboveallerage is the oddsmaker’s choice in the last of the colt divisions, race seven. Opulent Yankee, a Muscles Yankee-Opulent Bluestone colt, has been third in both of his qualifiers, trotting a 1:59 mile in the more recent of those. He is trained by Bob Bencal and will have the services of Andy Miller on Thursday.

Starsaboveallerage, a son of Angus Hall-Starry Eyed, acquitted himself very well in his first career start, finishing third and timed in 1:57.4 in an Ontario Sires Stakes event at Mohawk. Howard Okusko, Jr. trains this one and Paul MacDonell will drive.

The rare Thursday live race card begins at 6:45 p.m. Visit the Tioga Downs website for more information.