The Grand Circuit will make its annual stop at Tioga Downs this week for the Arthur Tompkins Memorial. On Thursday evening the freshman trotters are featured in a total of seven divisions -- three splits for the fillies and four divisions for the colts.
The Little E, LLC homebred entry of Opulent Yankee and Starsaboveallerage is the oddsmaker’s choice in the third of the colt divisions (Race 7). Opulent Yankee, a son of Muscles Yankee from Opulent Bluestone, has been third in both his qualifiers -- he trotted a 1:59 mile in his most recent qualifier. He is trained by Bob Bencal and will have the services of Andy Miller on Thursday.
Starsaboveallerage, a son of Angus Hall out of Starry Eyed, put forth a solid showing in his first career start, as he finished third (timed in 1:57.4) in an Ontario Sires Stakes event at Mohawk Racetrack. Howard Okusko Jr. performs the training duties, while Paul MacDonell has been retained for the drive.
The first of the colt dashes will take to the track for Race 4, where Big Bang Hanover, a Donato Hanover colt out of CR Calendar Girl will make his first pari-mutuel start after having raced in four qualifiers. The most recent of the qualifiers was his best, a 1:58.2 win for trainer Jim Campbell and owner Shore Thing Stables. Matt Kakaley is down to drive.
Keystone Wasabi leads the contenders in Race 5. The Cantab Hall-Womanly Image colt is already a Pennsylvania Sires Stakes winner -- he took his record of 1:58.2 at Pocono Downs for the Kitefield Stable and Janice Connor. Jim Morrill Jr. will drive.
Flyhawk El Durado, a colt by Conway Hall out of El Paso Gal, has been named the morning line favourite for the fourth and final division for the boys (Race 8).
The distaffers will open the card, as Andy and Julie Miller will send out the morning-line favourites for both ends the Daily Double. L Dees Scripture has made but one start, however that was an impressive 1:58.4 open-length win in a baby race at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Lawrence Dumain and Carlo Lattinelli own the daughter of Credit Winner-Graceful Way.
Annies List has a more extensive resume, as she has won all three of her starts and has clocked faster miles each successive time out. The most recent was a dominant 10-length win in 1:57.3 during an overnight at Harrah’s Philadelphia. She is a Conway Hall lass out of Anns Promise and is owned by the Millers.
The third $25,257 division is led by Flyhawk Falina, a Cash Hall filly from Nowerland Nanette racing out of the Dan Daley barn. She won a New York Sire Stakes division in 2:03 at Buffalo Raceway in her first pari-mutuel start for owners Joe Pennacchio, Ann-Mari Daley and M F White.
The rare Thursday live race card will begins with a 6:45 p.m.
(With files from Tioga Downs)