Winbak Dimensions wins Tioga feature
Nichols, NY--2008 Tioga Downs’ Pacer of the Year, Winbak Dimensions, captured his first victory of the year in the $15,000 Open Handicap Pace on Sunday afternoon (July 25).
Corey Braden sent Winbak Dimensions from the 2 hole to capture a pocket ride behind post-time favorite Bullville Powerful (Jim Taggart Jr.) through fractions of 27.3, 55.3, and 1:24.1.
As the field rounded the final turn, Braden sent Winbak Dimensions to the outside and battled Bullville Powerful to the wire getting up to win by a neck in 1:52.1.
Although it was the first win in 10 seasonal starts, the 7-year old son of Village Jove-Exact Dimenions has banked more than $27,000, and has missed the board only twice. Jim Perry trains Winbak Dimensions for William and Jack Heinz of Ohio. Bullville Powerful (Jim Taggart Jr.) hung on for second, while Anvilanunoit N (Bruce Ranger) got up for third.
Jimmy Marohn Jr. and Howard Parker each posted driving doubles on the afternoon’s 12-race card.
Bruce Ranger sealed up his invitation to the 2010 Fourth Annual Drivers’ Championship on Sunday afternoon, and will participate in the event on Sunday, Aug. 1, finishing ahead of Jim Morrill Jr. and Corey Braden.
Tioga Downs continues live racing on Friday, July 30, with a post time of 6:50 p.m. For more information please visit us online at www.tiogadowns.com.
--Dustin Ross
Running Aces Harness Park
Fanya Hanover swept to victory in the $11,000 championship final of the Four Queens late-closer for fillies & mares that were non-winners of two races when the four-week series began. Owner-trainer-driver Evan Coblentz and Fanya Hanover held off a hard-charging Nocturnal Rose (Tim Maier) by a head in 1:56.1. Cool Jazmic (Adam Short) finished third in the richest race of the season at Running Aces prior to the Minnesota-sired Championships on closing day, Aug. 28.
Harrah's Chester
With Real Joke making his second start off a layoff and finishing a narrow second to Annieswesterncard in last week's $32,000 Open pace at Harrah's Chester, he was thought by most the horse to beat, dismissed at 9-5 favoritism. However, he couldn't wear down John Cancelliere's Western Shore ($25.60), who prevailed in a pillar-to-post performance in the Sunday afternoon Open Handicap pace. All-out in the final yards, Western Shore prevailed by 1-3/4 lengths over Annieswesterncard, in 1:49.4, with Atochia (Yannick Gingras) finishing an off-the-pace third.