Tim Tetrick and Linda Toscano teamed up to capture all three divisions of the Geers Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies on Friday night at Tioga Downs, while Cougar Bait led two-year-old pacing colts and geldings with a track-record performance in his Geers split.
Tetrick and Toscano wasted no time finding the winner's enclosure, teaming up with Robin J ($2.10) in the $26,356 third event. The daughter of Roll With Joe-Mommy Robin Q worked clear of Haviture Way Honey (Marcus Miller) with a circuit to go and used a :26.3 last quarter to repel a first-over push from runner-up Touchamatic (Mike Simons) by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:54.
They teamed up again with Planet Rock ($2.10), who kept her undefeated record intact in the $26,856 fifth race. The daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven-Villa Hanover settled off a contested pace, brushed out of midfield, and sprinted off to a 5-1/2 length margin of victory over Kiss Kiss (John Cummings, Jr.) in 1:53.1 for her fifth triumph in as many career starts. Robin J and Planet Rock also would give owner Kenneth Jacobs a stakes double on the night.
World Apart ($2.60) completed the sweep of the filly divisions for Tetrick and Toscano in the $26,856 ninth, chasing live cover provided by Pleasant Roll (Marcus Miller) on the backstretch before continuing to the fore in upper stretch after losing cover. The daughter of Art Major-Polar Opposition posted a 1:53 win for the South Mountain Stables, The Bays Stable LLC, Little E LLC, and the Radio Racing Stable.
Of the three Geers divisions for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, Cougar Bait ($6.10) stole the show with his 1:52.2 track-record performance in the $24,640 fourth race. Mike Simons slid the Western Terror-No One Is Alone gelding second-over to track favourite Epic Union through the middle stages of the race, but lost cover on approach to the far turn as Epic Union cleared. Cougar Bait ultimately dueled to the fore at head-stretch, drawing off by 2-1/2 lengths over Beyond Delight (Jim Marohn, Jr.), who rallied to save second.
John Butenschoen trains Cougar Bait for the Harmony Oaks Racing Stable, Jeremey Day, Tangie Massey, and the VIP Internet Stable LLC.
Ocean Colony ($23.60) prevailed in the $24,640 sixth, dueling clear of R J P (Marcus Miller) in 1:53.3 after being left uncovered on the far turn. Brett Miller drove the son of Somebeachsomewhere-Amora Hanover for trainer Jimmy Takter and the partnership of Takter, Fielding, Katz, Libfeld, Goldband, and the Hatfield Stables.
In the $24,640 eighth race, Every Way Out ($2.50) accounted for his fifth career win in as many starts, and Tetrick accounted for the third leg of a stakes grand slam. The If I Can Dream-Every Play colt responded to a late push from Bettors Western (Brett Miller), holding sway by three-quarters of a length in 1:51.1 for the fastest mile on the night. Dylan Davis trains Every Way Out for Howard Taylor, Abraham Basen, Edwin Gold, and Thomas Lazzaro.
Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon, with post time at 1:30 p.m.
(Tioga Downs)