While two and three-year-old trotters will contest 11 combined divisions of the Arthur Tompkins Memorial Stakes on Sunday (August 16) at Tioga Downs, New York-sired three-year-old pacers--15 colts and geldings; 21 fillies--will try to earn their way into next week's Empire Breeders Classics finals.
The first $12,500 elimination for colts and geldings, carded as race five, will see 11-time winner In The Arsenal (8-5 morning line favourite) return to Tioga after earning top-four finishes in both the North America Cup and the Max Hempt Memorial. Brian Sears will drive the son of American Ideal for trainer Kelvin Harrison. In the second elimination, scheduled as race seven, eight-time winner National Seelster (3-1, Andy Miller) squares off against Betting Exchange (5-2, Jim Morrill Jr.), who finished third in the North America Cup earlier in the season.
Fillies will contest three eliminations, and trainer Ron Burke has a reasonable chance to sweep the preliminary splits on the distaff side. Bettor N Better (5-2, Matt Kakaley) leads the charge in the first elimination, carded as race six, but will have to stave off the steadily improving Moremercy Bluechip (2-1, Andy Miller) from the Julie Miller stable. Burke sends out 10-time winner Band Of Angels (7-5, Yannick Gingras) in the second elimination (race 10) and the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven will look to make amends for a seventh-place finish in the Shady Daisy at the Meadowlands. Sassa Hanover (8-5, Gingras) completes the trio of Burke distaffers, headlining the third elimination (race 12) with 12 wins to her name. While enjoying Sire Stakes success, she earned top-four finishes in both the Shady Daisy and the Fan Hanover on the national scene.
The afternoon's Arthur Tompkins Memorial Stakes action will be highlighted by 11-time winner Habitat, the 6-5 favourite in the $58,662 ninth race for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings. The son of Conway Hall narrowly missed in the Dancer Memorial at the Meadowlands, and was a chasing--yet distant--second in the Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon earlier in the summer. Yannick Gingras will drive the Ron Burke trainee.
The all-stakes Sunday card at Tioga is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. (EDT) start time.
(Tioga Downs)