A dozen two-year-old trotting colts and geldings will share the spotlight at Tioga Downs on Saturday evening (September 5) in a pair of $53,500 New York Sire Stakes events, while a quintet of older distaff trotters will contest a $40,000 Miss Versatility preliminary leg on the track’s Labour Day program (September 7).
Four-time winner Allerage Echo headlines the first NYSS division, which has been carded as the fourth of 12 races on Saturday's card. The gelded son of Conway Hall heads in off a dominant win at Monticello, where he defeating five foes in 1:58.1 en route to a lifetime mark. Chris Lems will drive the 6-5 morning line favourite for trainer George Ducharme.
The second division (Race 9) has five-time winner Dayson installed as the 3-5 morning line favourite. Jeff Gregory will once again drive the undefeated Conway Hall gelding for trainer Howard Okusko, teaming up with him for his recent victories at Yonkers, Batavia, and Buffalo.
Of note, legendary racecaller Larry Lederman will stand in for James Witherite on Friday and Saturday evenings, with post time 6:15 p.m. Eastern on both occasions.
The Labour Day afternoon program will feature the fourth preliminary leg of the Miss Versatility series. Millionaire Classic Martine is set to square off against Rockin With Dewey. Classic Martine, a 23-time winner trained by Steve Elliott, was just collared by Charmed Life in this event last year after having set a robust pace. Matt Kakaley will drive the five-year-old daughter of Classic Photo. Rockin With Dewey, part of the Benoit Baillargeon-trained 6-5 favoured entry, comes into the tilt off a 28-1 upset in the Earl Rowe Memorial at Georgian Downs. In the Earl Rowe win, Rockin With Dewey sustained a first-over push en route to a 1:53.2 win. Her driver in the Earl Rowe, 24-year-old Bob McClure, retains the assignment, thus making his Tioga debut.
A pair of $14,000 Opens will also take place on the 13-race Monday program, with Six Bax (Jim Taggart Jr.) and Bourbon Bay (John Cummings Jr.) squaring off in the ninth-race trot, and Rockeyed Optimist (Matt Kakaley) headlining the tenth-race pace.
Post time for the Labor Day program is 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
(Tioga Downs)