Kentucky Derby Day festivities surround this Saturday's (May 2) 10-race Opening Night card at Tioga Downs, with an 11-race card on Sunday afternoon slated to complete opening weekend.
Tioga Downs kicks off its 10th season of harness racing with its traditional Derby Day opening program, with a special 5:00 p.m. first post. In addition to mint juleps, a Derby hat contest, and fireworks, fans can enjoy live music and a wide variety of food through the afternoon, along with a chance to win a $1,000 wager on one horse in the Derby.
The on-track action starts strong with a $14,000 Open Trot, as six accomplished trotters take to the Southern Tier racetrack in the first dash of the new meet. Twin B Spike Man (2-1 morning line) drew post four in the featured opener, with co-owner Mike Simons handling the driving duties aboard the eight-year-old gelding. The 23-time winner has performed well in upper-level events at Pocono Downs and The Meadowlands, having taken a mark of 1:51.1 last year. He'll be joined by the likes of Bourbon Bay (8-5 morning line favourite, John Cummings Jr.), who proved successful in recent months against stakes company in Toronto as well as at Pocono, 28-time winner and local standout Grey Ice (12-1, Fern Paquet Jr.), and Picture This (5-1, Jim Taggart Jr.), a nine-time winner with over $350,000 in purse earnings.
The evening's second and third races are part of the Meadowlands/Tioga Pick 4, along with the first two live races at the Meadowlands. Punters can play the Pick 4 -- which carries a 50-cent minimum -- by betting the first race from the Meadowlands.
Following the third race, Tioga Downs will have a break in the action for the Kentucky Derby, completing the live card immediately following. The last race will be followed by an impressive fireworks display, which all are welcome to enjoy.
One lucky fan in attendance will be chosen to win a $1,000 bet on any one horse of their choosing in the Derby, and all fans will be able to receive Tioga Downs T-shirts and race date magnets (while supplies last) at the promotions table on the tarmac.
Sunday (May 3) afternoon's 11-race card kicks off at 1:30 p.m., headlined by a pair of $8,800 upper-level conditioned paces, each drawing a field of seven. The co-featured first race is marked by the return of top-level standout Oh My Joepa (Corey Braden) from Pompano Park, and he'll be joined by Tioga newcomer St Lads Lotto (Aaron Byron), who was previously a top contender at Cal Expo. The fourth race sees Artistic Major (Aaron Byron) make his return to the races after winning six of eight races as a two-year-old, including the $45,000 New York Excelsior Final. He'll face Tioga mainstays Hurricane Howard (Jim Marohn Jr.) and Electrofire (Dan Clements), among others.
(Tioga Downs)