This past Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs, five local area high school students got the opportunity of a lifetime in the third annual Tioga Downs’ Scholarship Race.

The students representing five local area high schools were Kayla Pepper of Johnson City High School, Whitney Seabrooks of Binghamton High School, Gabriella Martinichio of Chenango Forks, Adrian Roma of Maine-Endwell, and Karina Liberati of Chenango Valley.

The five students had participated in training sessions with some of the Tioga Downs’ horsemen over a three-week period in preparation for Sunday’s race. Helping assist the girls, and also riding in the double-seated jog carts with them for the race, were Jason MacDougal, Tim Lanpher, Corey Braden, Fern Paquet Jr., and Tyler Freese.

The students raced once around the racetrack in between the second and third race on Sunday afternoon and it was a photo finish at the wire. Karina Liberati of Chenango Valley and driver Tyler Freese edged out Kayla Pepper and Jason MacDougal to take home the $3,000 scholarship for first place. Kayla Pepper received $2,000 for second, Whitney Seabrooks finished third good for $1,200, Adriana Roma received $800 for fourth, and Gabriella Martinichio picked up $500 for fifth.

“This is one of our best events we have at Tioga throughout the year. It gets some of our local area kids involved in harness racing and gives them a great opportunity to help pay for their continued education after high school,” said Jason M. Settlemoir, the track's VP of Racing and Simulcast.

The sponsors helping support the third annual scholarship race are the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State, Southern Tier Harness Horsemen’s Association, New York Sire Stakes, and Tioga Downs.

(Tioga)