by Dustin Ross, regional racing operations manager, Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY — Vivid Photo answered all the questions for the critics on Friday morning (July 18) at Tioga Downs in his first qualifier since cracking a coffin bone on April 24.

Roger Hammer sent the 6-year-old to the front and cruised through fractions of :28.3, :57.1 and 1:25.4 before easing home in :29.3 to stop the timer in 1:55.2.

“He seemed as good today as he was when he came back for his 4-year-old year,” Hammer said following the morning qualifier. “He had to be under stall rest for eight weeks after the injury, and we started jogging him back after that with training miles in 2:15 and 2:10 for a couple weeks. We hadn’t gone any more than a 2:10 training mile before we brought him up here to qualify.

“We will probably throw him in the Classic Series Final next week at The Meadowlands and see if they need him. We’re not worried about where he finishes right now, we just want to get him back racing and we are aiming at the Breeders Crown in late August. We’ll have to see if he races in the Classic Series next week, and hopefully we can get an invitation to the Nat Ray on Hambletonian Day.”

Tioga Downs kicks off its Grand Circuit weekend on Friday, July 18, with a post time of 6:50 p.m. featuring the Tompkins-Geers.