Mila Gallagher and her dad, Robert of Binghamton, N.Y., enjoy Derby Day at Tioga Downs on Saturday. (Photos by Wendy Post)
Shelly Milner of Tioga Center, N.Y. and Kay Liles, of Pine City, N.Y. enjoy Derby Day at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
Robbie Nichols of Corning, N.Y., owner of the Elmira Pioneer Baseball Team, sports a hat that was a favorite at Derby Day at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
Stephanie Woodward of Bentley Creek, Pa. won first place, and $300 in the Derby Day Hat Contest at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
Tracy and Steve Shutt, of Lawrenceville, Pa., won second place, and $200 in the Derby Day Hat Contest at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
Laura Chavez, of Endicott, N.Y., didn’t win the derby hat contest, but was enjoying the day at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
Hopefuls line up for the Derby Day hat contest at Tioga Downs on Saturday. Sixty signed up for the contest.
Carol Dey of Endicott, N.Y. was last year’s winner of the derby hat contest at Tioga Downs on the opening day of Harness Racing.
The Memorial Pipe Band entertains guests at the opening day of Harness Racing at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
The Memorial Pipe Band entertains guests at the opening day of Harness Racing at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
The Memorial Pipe Band entertains guests at the opening day of Harness Racing at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
The first race of the season at Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y. The Harness Racing season opened on Saturday, which was also the 141st Kentucky Derby. Pictured in the lead and the winner of the season’s first race is Bourbon Bay, trained by Megan Wilson of Nichols, N.Y. and driven by John Cummings Jr., who is also the owner.
Mary and Wally Roper arrive in style for Derby Day at Tioga Downs on Saturday.
On Saturday, it was a packed house at Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y. as guests from all over arrived to welcome the opening day of the tenth harness racing season. The opening was held in conjunction with the 141st Kentucky Derby, which aired live on the center screen on the track, and throughout the complex.
One of the trademarks of Derby Day is the hat contest that welcomes colorfully decorated hats for a contest and cash prizes.
This year, 60 entrants stood trackside, hoping to land the cash prizes offered.
Winning first place was Stephanie Woodward of Bentley Creek, Pa. Woodward won $300. Second place went to Tracy and Steve Shutt, of Lawrenceville, Pa. The couple won $200. Taking third was Marcia Sykes from Chemung, N.Y.
The highlight of the day, however, was the first harness race that officiated the start of the racing season at Tioga Downs.
Coming in first in the inaugural race of the season was Bourbon Bay, trained by Megan Wilson of Nichols, N.Y. and owned by John Cummings Jr. – who is also the driver.
Prior to the race, the Memorial Pipe Band entertained, trackside. Virgil Cain entertained on the outdoor patio, while several other bands performed on the stage inside.
The casino was standing room only, as hundreds lined up to get their bets placed for both the harness racing, as well as the Kentucky Derby.
The crowd was expected to get bigger as the night went on, as the Mayweather and Pacquiao fight was scheduled to air at Tioga Downs at 9 p.m. in the Coaster’s Sports Bar at Tioga Downs.
Sunday afternoon’s eleven-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, 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.
To learn more about Tioga Downs, visit www.tiogadowns.com.
