The fields for the $184,000 Roll With Joe Open Pace and the $158,000 Artiscape Open Mare Pace have been drawn and are set for Sunday, June 9 at Tioga Downs.
In the Roll With Joe, the Ron Burke entry of Sweet Lou and Foiled Again have been installed as the 5-2 morning line favourites. The most noteworthy story line behind the powerful entry is that for the first time since the Burkes purchased Foiled Again, Yannick Gingras will be in the race, but will be sitting behind someone else. Gingras has opted to drive Sweet Lou in the Roll With Joe on Sunday at Tioga, leaving the driving duties on quadruple millionaire, Foiled Again, to Matt Kakaley. Kakaley is no stranger to the winner’s circle, however, and captured the 2012 edition of the Roll With Joe with Clear Vision for Ron Burke over his stablemate Foiled Again. Clear Vision, however, is not back to defend his title this year, but a field of 10, and quite possibly the best field of 10 ever assembled at Tioga Downs, will go to the post for Race 8 on Sunday afternoon.
Golden Receiver, the eight-year old son of Village Jove-Royal Gold, has been given the nod as the 3-1 second choice after a disappointing seventh-place finish in last week's TVG Free For All Series. Usual pilot Tim Tetrick will do the driving for Mark Harder, and one would highly doubt that early speed is not in the cards for Golden Receiver.
Betterthancheddar and George Brennan will make their Tioga Downs’ debut on Sunday after the duo finished second in the Molson Pace at the Western Fair District. He has been listed as 5-1 on the morning line, but anyone who watched the Molson Pace last week will certainly be filtering some money his way. The pair was locked in the two hole in the Molson and never had any racing room in the stretch, but had plenty of horse left right through the wire. The five-year old son of Bettors Delight – Lady Ashlee Ann won nine of 11 starts last year and $800,000 before being sidelined for the year in mid-September.
Race 8:
$184,000 Roll With Joe Open Pace
Hd. # - PP - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1 - 5 - Sweet Lou - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
1A - 6 - Foiled Again - Matt Kakaley - Ron Burke
2 - 1 - A Rocknroll Dance - John Campbell - Jim Mulinix
3 - 2 - Golden Receiver - Tim Tetrick - Mark Harder
4 - 3 - Betterthancheddar - George Brennan - Casie Coleman
5 - 4 - Rockincam - Brian Sears - R. Nifty Norman
6 - 7 - Aracache Hanover - Doug McNair - Gregg McNair
7 - 8 - Warrawee Needy - Jody Jamieson - Carl Jamieson
8 - 9 - Sapphire City - Ron Pierce - Paul Blumenfeld
9 - 10 - Pet Rock - David Miller - Virgil Morgan Jr.
A field of 10 has also been assembled for the $158,000 Artiscape Pace, but has been whittled down to just six betting interests. Ron Burke sends a quartet of the best pacing mares in the business, and also picks up Economy Terror as an entrymate due to the common ownership on Ginger And Fred.
The powerful five-horse entry has been installed as the 8-5 morning line favourite with Blue Chip champion, Feeling You (to be driven by Tyler Buter) marked as the 5-2 second choice.
Race 5:
$158,000 Artiscape Open Mare Pace
Hd. # - PP - Horse - Driver - Trainer
1 - 3 - Bettor B Lucky - George Brennan - Ron Burke
1A - 4 - Ginger And Fred - David Miller - Ron Burke
1B - 7 - Rocklamation - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
1C - 9 - Economy Terror - Jim Morrill Jr. - Chris Oakes
1D - 10 - Camille - Matt Kakaley - Ron Burke
2 - 1 - Feeling You - Tyler Buter - Amber Buter
3 - 2 - Big McDeal - Jody Jamieson - Ben Wallace
4 - 5 - Anndrovette - Tim Tetrick - P J Fraley
5 - 6 - Drop The Ball - Corey Callahan - Ross Croghan
6 - 8 Royal Cee Cee N - Ron Pierce - Mark Harder
Also on Sunday, Tioga Downs will hold an auction for the game-worn and autographed jerseys that the Binghamton Mets wore replicating Yannick Gingras’ driving colours. All proceeds will go to pancreatic cancer research. Fans at the races on Sunday will also receive one free replica jersey t-shirt, while supplies last.
Roll With Joe And Artiscape Detention Reminder For Horsemen
Tioga Downs would like to remind all horsemen participating in the Roll With Joe and Artiscape Pace that there will be detention.
The horses participating in those two stakes must be in the detention barn at Tioga Downs no later than 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. Horsemen with questions regarding the detention barn are asked to call the Tioga Downs’ race office at 607-699-7688.
(With files from Tioga Downs)