Tioga Downs kicks off racing season

On Tuesday, a media event announced the start of the harness racing season, scheduled for May 6, with a 5 p.m. post time at Tioga Downs Casino in Nichols, N.Y. With members of the media present, and a handful of dignitaries, the staff at Tioga Downs welcomed guests, and announced the racing and events in store for guests at Tioga Downs as they celebrate their 10th season of harness racing.

On Saturday, the 2017 racing season will open southern style with an action-packed Derby Fest that includes live entertainment, a Derby Hat contest, giveaways, and a spectacular fireworks display following the night’s final race.

Live entertainment includes The Yadas Yadas in the Sideshow Lounge from 1 to 4 p.m., followed by The Edward P. Maloney Memorial Pipe Band in the Trackside tent from 3:50 to 4:20 p.m. Concluding the night will be Virgil Cain from 9 p.m. to midnight in Virgil’s Real BBQ, as well as Splash from 9 p.m. to midnight in the Sideshow Lounge. 

There will be promotions throughout the day to include free giveaways and the chance to win a $500 cash prize for the most lavish southern fashion as part of Tioga’s very own Derby Day Hat Contest from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Those wishing to show off their derby hat can go between those hours for the opportunity to win their chance at $1,500 in prize money.

Guests can also enjoy a full evening of live harness racing, with the new racing season beginning with a 5 p.m. post time. Later that evening, visitors can win up to $1,000 cash in Derby Day Hot Seat drawings every hour from 8 p.m. until midnight on the gaming floor for Tioga Downs Player’s Club card members. The prize amount will start at $500 at 8 p.m. and go up every hour, culminating in a $1,000 prize at midnight.

Additional highlights of the 2017 racing season at Tioga Downs include the $175,000 Roll with Joe on Aug. 20 with the $500,000 Empire Breeders Classic Finals, as well as the trio of $175,000 stake races on Aug. 27 featuring The Crawford Farms Trot, Joie De Vie Mare Trot and Artiscape Mare Pace. 

Also returning to Tioga Downs this summer is camel and ostrich racing on June 18, as well as the Fourth Annual Tioga Downs World Chicken Spiedie Eating Championship presented by Lupo’s.

You can learn more about these events at www.tiogadowns.com.

Tioga Downs recently announced their summer concert series as well, which kicks off with CMA and Grammy Award-winning country music artist Travis Tritt on June 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are priced at three ranges — $25, $35 and $45. The night will feature Travis Tritt, highlighting his world-renowned voice and guitar. He is expected to perform some of his biggest hits such as “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” “It’s A Great Day to Be Alive,” and “Best of Intentions.” His performance will also include personal stories about his life and musical influences. 

38 Special will perform a special benefit concert Saturday, July 1 at 8 p.m. After more than three decades together, 38 Special continues to bring their signature blast of Southern Rock to more than 100 cities a year. At each and every show, thousands of audience members are amazed by the explosive power of the band’s performance. Proceeds from the ticket sales will be donated to the Southern Tier Veterans Support Group. Tioga Downs’ owner Jeff Gural will match all ticket proceeds. 

GRAMMY-Award winning superstar LeAnn Rimes will hit the Tioga Downs concert stage on Saturday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m., and the show is sponsored by Tioga State Bank. In 1996, LeAnn Rimes burst out of nowhere with her debut single “Blue,” which immediately captured the attention of country fans across America. Blue debuted at number three on the pop charts, selling over 123,000 copies within its first week of release – one of the largest figures to date in the history of the SoundScan tracking system.

The summer concert series wraps up Labor Day weekend with Dick Fox’s Golden Boys, starring Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Bobby Rydell on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 8 p.m. Dick Fox’s Golden Boys were three of the most popular teen idols of the late 50s and 60s. They have proved to be an overwhelming live concert success. 

Dick Fox’s Golden Boys spotlights each of the performers and their All Time greatest hits, “Turn Me Loose”, “Tiger”, “I’m A Man” (Fabian); “Venus”, “De De Dinah”, “Bobby Sox to Stockings” (Avalon); “Volare”, “Wild One”, “Kissin’ Time” (Rydell). The three stars combine their talents on several songs and perform a tribute to the material of Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Rick Nelson and Bill Haley.

Tickets for all four concerts are now available at all Ticketmaster locations and the Tioga Downs gift shop. All events will be held outside, rain or shine.

And keeping in line with charitable efforts, throughout the month of May, Tioga Downs Casino is hosting Spread the Love, a peanut butter drive to benefit the Food Bank of the Southern Tier’s BackPack Program. Customers who donate a jar of peanut butter on “Food Bank Mondays” in May will receive a coupon for a $5 buffet at the casino.

Tioga Downs also announced that as the racing season begins, they are welcoming a new announcer. Taking over the mic this year will be John Horne, Jr. 

Horne has been an employee at Tioga for the past three years, working as an assistant to the Judges as well as filling in as the track’s back-up announcer. Horne has also filled in at several other tracks around the state as well as Tioga Downs’ sister track, Vernon Downs.

Horne replaces former Tioga Downs’ race caller James Witherite. Witherite was the announcer for three years.  

“He (Witherite) will be a hard act to follow,” said Horne. “He has been my mentor since day one,” he added.

Last year marked the tenth anniversary celebration for Tioga Downs. The entertainment complex offers live harness racing, casino gaming and live entertainment.  

Jeff Gural owns Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y. as well as Vernon Downs in Vernon, N.Y. Since opening the new casino in December, Tioga Downs has expanded its gaming offerings to include 944 slot machines, 23 table games and a 12-table poker room, which is now affiliated with the World Series of Poker.

For more information on Tioga Downs, please visit www.tiogadowns.com.