The nominations for Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs stakes are in, and the numbers are up virtually across the board
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Topping the charts is the Miss Versatility (mare trot), benefiting from a restructuring of the series. Increasing the number of preliminary legs to four, raising the purse for each from $25,000 to $40,000 and staging two at Mohawk Racetrack has resulted in a gain of 80 per cent (from 21 to 38) for mares paid in.
The Muscle Hill (mare trot) and Artiscape (mare pace) both show gains, while the Bettors Delight and Credit Winner (open events) are each down a couple.
The Kindergarten Trotting Classic continues to attract huge numbers with 169 colts and 166 fillies making the first payment, an increase of 8 per cent over last year.
The 2012 Empire Breeders Classic (EBC) for three-year-old New York-breds held even, while two-year-old nominations to the 2013 EBC increased by 7 per cent.
(With files from Tioga/Vernon)