After having been notably absent from Hambletonian Day 2019, world record holder Atlanta will be back in action this weekend.
Tioga Downs will host the Crawford Farms FFA Trot and Joie De Vie FFA Mare Trot stakes this Sunday (August 11). The card’s first race will head behind the starter at 1:00 p.m.
Eight top trotting mares will contest the $132,000 Joie De Vie FFA Mare Trot, which will be led by the prolific 2018 Hambletonian winner, Atlanta, who will face the streaking Manchego on Sunday.
Ron Burke recently told Trot Insider why Atlanta did not race on Hambletonian Day. To read Burke’s comments, click here.
$132,000 Joie De Vie FFA Mare Trot
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Emoticon Hanover – Bob McClure
2 – Manchego – Dexter Dunn
3 – Dream Together – Bob McClure
4 – Darling Mearas S – Andy Miller
5 – Top Expectations – Daniel Dube/Brian Sears/David Miller
6 – Atlanta – Yannick Gingras
7 – Plunge Blue Chip – Ake Svanstedt
8 – Custom Cantab – David Miller
The $148,000 Crawford Farms FFA Trot drew a field of six that includes the venerable 2015 Hambletonian champ Pinkman, as well as Mission Accepted, the winner of the Vincennes Trot on Hambo Day.
$148,000 Crawford Farms FFA Trot
(Post – Horse – Listed Driver)
1 – Pinkman – Dexter Dunn
2 – Run Director – Sylvain Filion
3 – The Veteran – Scott Zeron/Wally Hennessey
4 – Mission Accepted – Yannick Gingras
5 – Fiftydallarbill – Corey Callahan
6 – Speeding Spur N – Brian Sears
Horses for both races are required to report to Tioga’s stakes barn by 8:00 p.m. on Saturday (August 10).
Tioga’s Sunday card will also feature Empire Breeders Classic eliminations for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings. The connections of 13 ‘glamour boys’ entered their charges to contest the stakes, and thus a pair of elims will face the gate. The elims have been carded as Race 5 and 7. The $238,200 final will be contested on Sunday, August 18.
The connections of nine three-year-old pacing fillies entered their charges to contest the EBC for the females. Eliminations are not necessary, and thus the nine fillies will head directly to their respective $232,700 final, which will be contested on Sunday, August 18.
The fillies that have been entered have been listed below in alphabetical order.
Brooklyn Lilacs
DD Delicious
Fool Me Again
Gias Surreal
Hurrikane Norakane
JK American Beauty
St Somewhere
Topville Angelina
Zero Tolerance
(With files from Tioga Downs)