This Friday evening's (September 16) program of live harness racing at Tioga Downs will feature a probable preview of the $225,000 New York Sire Stakes final for two-year-old pacing fillies, as eight precocious distaffers will square off in a lone $110,200 NYSS race, which will be the centerpiece of the 15-dash card.
Susan Oakes and Chuck Pompey's Tequila Monday will look to remain undefeated after a pair of dominant wins at Harrah's Philadelphia and an eight and three-quarter-length domination in her lone sire stakes effort at Yonkers Raceway last week. David Miller has retained the drive on the daughter of American Ideal and Margarita Monday, and the pair will start from Post 7 for trainer Chris Oakes as the 3-1 morning line second choice.
Among the seven fillies looking to hand Tequila Monday her first career defeat are six-time winners Planet Rock and Robin J, both from the Linda Toscano stable. Planet Rock, the 5-2 morning line favourite from Post 6, began her career with six straight wins, including a 1:53.1 victory in her Geers Stakes division at Tioga on August 12. John Campbell will drive the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven and Villa Hanover.
Planet Rock's stablemate, Robin J, was a no-match second to Tequila Monday at Yonkers Raceway last week, but won six of seven prior events including, like Planet Rock, a Geers Stakes division over the local oval. Mike Simons is slated to drive the daughter of Roll With Joe and Mommy Robin Q from Post 3 as the 4-1 third choice.
In addition to top New York-sired two-year-old pacing fillies, Tioga Downs will play host to the Maine-Endwell (NY) Little League baseball team, as they will be honoured at the races for their Little League World Series title in a special ceremony following the evening's third race. Post time for the penultimate card of the 2016 season is 6:30 p.m. (ET).
(Tioga Downs)