Drivers Jim Marohn Jr. and Scott Zeron each won a pair of Geers Stakes at Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon (July 2).
Marohn won the first of two $33,935 Geers Stakes for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings with Macs Jackpot ($4.70) leading almost the whole way. The son of Somebeachsomewhere, who is owned by Jeffrey Snyder and trained by Jim Campbell, won for the seventh time in his career while setting a lifetime mark of 1:50.2. Northwest Yankee (Brett Miller) held on for second and The Wall (Scott Zeron) finished third.
The next $25,960 Geers Stakes race was for three-year-old fillies. This time it was Scott Zeron's turn winning with World Apart ($12.40). The three-year-old daughter of Art Major, who is owned by South Mountain Stables, The Bays Stable LLC, Little E LLC, Radio Racing Stable and trained by Linda Toscano, went right to the front and never looked back. The big favourite, Someomensomewhere (Jim Marohn Jr.), followed the whole way but fell short to finish second. World Apart put up fractions of :26.4, :56, and 1:23.4, and was just too strong in the end to score her first win as a three-year-old in 1:52.2. Sweetest Emotion (Brett Miller) finished third.
Another filly division followed and the Ontario-owned Ideal Plan ($12.20) was the next winner for Marohn. Owned by West Wins Stable, Jim Fielding, and Kevin McKinlay while trained by Casie Coleman, the Western Ideal filly led until the backstretch when Oceania (Jim Taggart Jr.) took over. Tori Hanover (Scott Zeron) then took a short lead in the stretch before Ideal Plan found her second wind and went by to win in 1:53.1 by half a length. The win was her third of the season. Tori Hanover was second with Shepulledthegoalie (Brett Miller) flying late to finish third.
Driven by Jim Taggart Jr., Independent One ($11.80) took the second $34,435 Geers Stakes for three-year-old colts and geldings. The favourite, Jo Pas Somebeach (Brett Miller), fronted the field to the top of the stretch, but Independent One wore him down and held off a furious late charge by Art Scene (Scott Zeron) to win by a neck in a lifetime best 1:51.3. Jo Pas Somebeach wound up third. The son of Rocknroll Hanover, who is owned by William Wiswell and Pinske Stables and trained by John Butenschoen, notched his fourth win this season.
The final $25,460 Geers Stakes was for three-year-old fillies and Scott Zeron teamed up with trainer Linda Toscano once again for a victory, this time with Robin J ($4.20), who is owned by Kenneth Jacobs. Magic Forces (Marcus Miller) led the way until just before the half. Looking like she was shot out of a cannon, Robin J then flew by to win by five lengths in the end and establish a new lifetime mark of 1:51.2. Touchamatic (Brett Miller) finished second with No Chaser (Tom Jackson) getting third. Robin J, a daughter of Roll With Joe, earned her second win of the season and her eighth career victory.
Live racing resumes at Tioga Downs on Tuesday (July 4) starting at 1 p.m. The 13-race card will feature the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting colts.
(With files from Tioga Downs)