Tioga Downs will welcome three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Friday (June 15).
The first division, which carries a purse of $39,900 will feature the sophomore debut of Fourth Dimension (Brian Sears). The 2-1 morning-line favourite hasn’t raced since his win in the $464,650 Valley Victory at the Meadowlands in November. The Chapter Seven colt is owned by Courant Inc. and trained by Marcus Melander. He won eight of eleven starts as a two-year-old, amassing almost $400,000 a season ago.
The second morning-line choice at 5-2 is Helpisontheway (Tim Tetrick), also by Chapter Seven. He has won a leg of the New York Sire Stakes and also finished fourth in the Empire Breeders Classic earlier this year at Vernon Downs. Linda Toscano trains the colt owned by Camelot Stable, The Bay’s Stable and Little E LLC.
In the second division, which goes for $40,600, Tito (Marcus Miller) has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favourite. Owned by Anthony Lombardi, George Golemes and Louis Willinger and trained by Erv Miller, the son of Muscle Mass is looking for his first win of 2018 after winning four races as a freshman.
The second choice for the second division is Purpose Blue Chip (Dan Daley), who won his first race of the season during a Sire Stakes leg on June 6 at Buffalo. The son of Chapter Seven is trained by Dan Daley for the partnership of Daley, Crawford, Lombardo and Brenner. He is the second choice at 3-1 even though he beat morning-line favourite Tito his last time out at Buffalo, going gate-to-wire.
The third division, which will be contested for $39,900, features morning-line favourite Don (Jim Morrill Jr.). Trained by Julie Miller and owned by the Andy Miller Stable and Little E LLC, the son of Credit Winner has won two legs of the Sire Stakes this season, proving victorious at Vernon Downs (May 11) and Buffalo Raceway (June 6).
The second choice at 3-1 is Southwind Chrome (Scott Zeron). The Chapter Seven colt didn’t race as a two-year-old, and even though he is winless in three starts, he was impressive in the Empire Breeders Classic final at Vernon Downs, charging late in the stretch and finishing second to Six Pack by half a length. Owned by Dreamville Stable and trained by Paula Wellwood, he will aim for the first win of his career.
The 13-race card at Tioga Downs on Friday starts at 6:15 p.m. For more information, visit tiogadowns.com.
(Tioga Downs)