Canada’s superstar, Jody Jamieson, came into the second and final leg of the Drivers’ Championship at Tioga Downs with a three point lead after the first leg held at The Meadowlands

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He had no plans of ever relinquishing that lead and stormed out of the gate again in race number one, winning with Split Ticket, to increase his margin on his way to being crowned 2011 Drivers’ Champion. Jamieson also scored a victory in the third leg with Aboycalledsu N to add another ten points on to his widening margin. However, the final nail in the coffin came in race number six in the fourth division when Jamieson finished second with Smooth Power, collecting seven points and sending all other drivers hopes of winning up in a blaze.

For the win, Jamieson collected $25,000, a commemorative ring from Bow River Jewelry, and an Evolution Race Bike from Evolution Racing.

Yannick Gingras collected ten points in the fourth division of the Drivers’ Championship, winning with 42-1 upset winner Mystical Con, which helped him secure second place good for $5,000. Ron Pierce came into the final division of the Drivers’ Championship in seventh place, but rallied late to get a win with Arockin Hanover and leap frog over the field into third and secure $4,000. George Brennan and Brian Sears finished in a tie for fourth, Tim Tetrick was sixth, Ed Hensley and David Miller all square in seventh, while Andy Miller was ninth.

In the Zweig Memorial for three-year old colt and gelding trotters, Broad Bahn rebounded off of his loss in the Colonial to take home a division of the Zweig in 1:55.3. Brennan gained control of the field and cut through fractions of :27.3, :58, and 1:26.1 before going away from the field with ease to win for the fifth time in ten seasonal starts. The three-year old son of Broadway Hall–Madonarail added the Zweig Memorial to his growing collection of triumphs for trainer Noel Daley, and became the first trotter in twenty five years to win the Hambletonian and Zweig in the same season.

“He was good tonight, we were lucky to get to the half in :58 tonight and he was ok. He wasn’t Hambletonian good, but we got lucky with a good spot and he got the job done tonight” said winning driver George Brennan in the winner’s circle following the victory.

In the other division for three-year old colt trotters, Charlie De Vie and David Miller made a quarter pole move the winning one and never looked back en route to a 1:53.2 triumph over Bambino Hall. The three-year old son of Yankee Glide–Knickers Hanover made it his second consecutive victory and seventh of the year in eleven starts for trainer Chris Ryder.

In the Zweig Memorial Trot for the ladies, Beatgoesonhanover used a pocket trip to guide her to victory past the heavy favored Jezzy in 1:55.3. It was the fifth win in nine seasonal starts for the 3-year old daughter of Andover Hall–Beat The Wheel for driver David Miller, and trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman.

In the second division of the Zweig Memorial for three-year old trotting fillies, Pantholops followed the favourite Some Girls around the track through fractions of :28.3, :59.1, and 1:28.1 before gearing up for the stretch drive. Down the stretch Pantholops was urged on by driver Andy Miller before nipping Some Girls at the wire in 1:56.4. Jonas Czernyson trains the daughter of Andover Hall–Klipspringer, who posted victory for the second time in ten career starts.

(Tioga Downs)