In the midst of a six-win day at Tioga Downs, driver Scott Zeron guided trotting filly Atlanta to a track record during New York Sire Stakes action on Sunday (June 24).
In the second of three $40,600 NYSS divisions, Atlanta ($2.10) charged out of post seven and as expected Plunge Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt) followed in the pocket. Atlanta hit every pole first, carving out fractions of :27.4, :57 and 1:25. Plunge Blue Chip came out of the pocket to make a run at Atlanta just before three-quarters. Atlanta could feel the pressure and turned it up a notch. Once she hit the stretch nobody was going to catch her, and she hit the wire in a Tioga best 1:52.1 -- the fastest three-year-old trotter regardless of sex.
Plunge Blue Chip easily finished second with Lima Novelty (Jim Morrill Jr.) a distant third.
Trained and owned by Rick Zeron for co-owners Crawford Farms, Holland Racing Stable, Howard Taylor, and Brad Grant, the three-year-old by Chapter Seven is now four-for-four as a sophomore filly. It was her eighth career win.
The time of the mile shaved three-fifths of a second off the former standard of 1:52.4, set by Barn Bella in 2017. The trotting colt (Helpisontheway) and gelding (Dayson) record is 1:52.2.
Tribute To Seven (Scott Zeron) used a late run to win the first division of the NYSS. Favoured Lucky Ava (Ake Svanstedt) went to the front and laid down all the early fractions (:28.4, :59.0, 1:27.1). Tribute To Seven ($9.50) went first over before the three quarter mark, battling Lucky Ava all the way down the stretch winning by a neck in 1:55.2. Getting third money was Perfect Summer K (Jason Bartlett).
Tribute To Seven is a three-year-old filly by Chapter Seven. She picked up her third win of the season and career for owned Richard Gutnick and trainer Linda Toscano,
Repentance (again, Scott Zeron) zoomed by in the stretch to capture the third NYSS division. Fury Road (Svanstedt) controlled all the early fractions (:28.2, :58.3, 1:26.3). Repentance ($7.10) was second over around the final turn and used a sweeping three-wide move in the stretch to win going away in 1:55.3. Golden Muscle (Jim Morrill Jr.) finished second with Fury Road holding on for third place.
Repentance is a three-year-old filly by Chapter Seven. Owned by Diamond Creek Racing and trained by Linda Toscano, she won for the second time this season and the third time in her career.
Zeron completed his six-pack with wins aboard A Gift For You ($2.80), Ithinkthatsmine ($18.00), and Mikado Blue Chip ($14.60).
Tioga Downs, the Southern Tier Harness Horsemen’s Association, and the Harness Horse Breeders of NYS joined together once again to host its Annual “Scholarship Race” for high school seniors.
Paxton Jobson of Newark Valley and driver Jim Meittinis finished first with Prairie Midnight. Angel Keppler of Owego and driver Tony Dinges finished second with Stick With Cramer. Sarah Kasson of Vestal and driver Lou Ginesi finished third with College Major. Finishing fourth was Joshua Dolphin of Union Endicott and driver John Hallet with Jessicas Pride. Audra Jaye of Tioga Central and driver Vern Smith finished fifth with Canadian Chrome. All five students received a $1,700 scholarship.
Before racing Tioga Downs honoured horsemen that passed away over the winter and spring. Honoured were Jim Perry, Dennis Payne, Paul Bernardo, Joe Juckas, Fred Cohen and Fred Monteleone.
Live harness racing returns to Tioga Downs on Friday (June 29) with a post time of 6:15.
(with files from Tioga)