Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs, in preparation for the 2012 race seasons, will open their barn areas on April 1.
The main racetrack at Vernon Downs will open on Monday, March 26 due to the warm weather, while Tioga will open on Monday, April 2, to gear up for the first qualifying events -- April 13 at Vernon and April 20 at Tioga.
Management would also like to inform horsemen that if they shipped from Saratoga, or have raced at Saratoga Raceway since March 1 that they will be required to show a negative culture reading for strangles for every horse in their barn. This requirement is in effect for both horsemen stabled on the grounds and for horsemen that choose to ship-in to train.
The management at Tioga & Vernon will monitor the situation closely and will continue to correspond with its horsemen. With opening day fast approaching for both facilities the tracks want to be very cautious with this matter and cooperation is greatly appreciated.
(Tioga/Vernon Downs)