Tioga Downs welcomed two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for freshman pacing colts and geldings on Monday (Sept. 2). Both divisions raced for a purse of $52,000.
Groovy Joe ($3.20, Matt Kakaley) captured the first division.
Cigars And Port (Ray Schnittker) lead to the first quarter in :26.3 and the half in :55.2. Groovy Joe made his first-over move from third and started to close in as Cigars And Port hit three-quarters first in 1:22.4.
Groovy Joe took over as they made the turn for home. Cigars And Port fought gamely, but Groovy Joe was too strong, winning in a lifetime bast of 1:52. Cigars And Port had to settle for second money, while Save Me A Dance (Scott Zeron) finished third.
Groovy Joe is a two-year-old colt by Roll With Joe out of Chotat Milk. He has won seven of his nine career starts for trainer Blake MacIntosh and the Hutt Racing Stable.
American Rebel ($4.80, Tyler Buter) was a gate-to-wire winner in the second division.
American Rebel led to the first quarter in :27.1, and had plenty in the tank in the stretch after controlling middle splits of :56.4 and 1:24.3. Genius Man (Marcus Miller) made a late charge, but had to settle for second as American Rebel won in a lifetime best of 1:53.2. Splash Brother (Ray Schnittker) finished in third.
American Rebel, a two-year-old colt by American Ideal out of Restive Hanover, is trained by Patti Harmon for owners Robert Robinson and The Harmon Stable. It was career win number five in just nine starts.
Wally Hennessey and Mike Simons each drove three winners on the day.
Live racing returns to Tioga Downs on Friday (September 6) at 6:15 p.m.
For more information, go to www.tiogadowns.com.
(Tioga Downs)