Tioga Downs kicked off its inaugural race card for the 2012 race season on Saturday evening in front of more than 11,700 patrons in the Southern Tier

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Live racing began at 5 p.m. this year to capture more fans for live racing by drawing off of the early Kentucky Derby crowd during the day, and the results were a huge success.

“Today at Tioga was probably the largest crowd in years at a harness track in New York State,” said Chairman of American Racing and Entertainment Jeff Gural during the opening day festivities.

Highlighting the 10-race card at Tioga were three New York bred prep races for New York Sire Stakes just around the corner. Two divisions for three-year-old colt trotters led the way, but Coraggioso stole the show by posting a powerful front end performance in 1:55.3. The mile demolished his previous lifetime best by nearly three full seconds, and sent the message throughout New York that the homebred son of Credit Winner and Electra Hall for Joe Spadaro and Tom Durkin is ready for action. Phil Fluet trains and drives Coraggioso, who sports a record of five wins, two seconds, and a third in 10 lifetime starts.

Flyhawk Jester and Howard Parker took the other division for sophomore trotters in 1:56.2, while Lewayne Miller and My Boogie Shoes scored in the lone division for three-year-old pacers in 1:53.4.

“All of us at Tioga Downs would like to thank the community for showing their continued support to harness racing in the southern tier by once again flocking to opening day for racing, and look forward to another great year at Tioga Downs,” said Jason M. Settlemoir, VP of Racing and Simulcast.

Tioga Downs continues live racing action on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

(Tioga Downs)