Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Rat Pack Tribute highlights February entertainment at the Downs


Vernon Downs Casino will feature a tribute to the Rat Pack in February. As always, admission to all of the entertainment events at Vernon Downs is free!

February 13, The Rochester Rat Pack will pay tribute to Frank, Sammy, Dean and the rest of the pack with two free shows at 5 and 9 p.m. on our casino stage.

Also, our first Friday Polka Party returns Feb. 5 with Fritz’s Polka Band.

Each and every weekend, Vernon Downs showcases some of the best acts in Central New York and beyond. You can enjoy some of the finest spirits and beers while listening to bands playing everything from soul and funk to oldies to country and rock. In addition to February’s feature act, some of our favorites will be returning this month such as the Billionaires (Feb. 6), Timeline (Feb. 12) and Soul Mine (Feb. 26).

Ring Eyed Pete’s offers an exciting atmosphere just off of the casino gaming floor. And, the acts usually go until 1 a.m.!

Vernon Downs is located at 4229 Stuhlman Road in Vernon, NY. For a full listing of events and more information about each band, please visit www.vernondowns.com.

Visit The Stage at Ring Eyed Pete’s Bar and enjoy live entertainment at Vernon Downs!

January entertainment in Ring Eyed Pete’s Bar (all shows from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. unless otherwise noted):
Friday, Feb. 5: First Friday Polka with Fritz’s Polka Band
Saturday, Feb. 6: Billionaires
Friday, Feb. 12: Timeline
Saturday, Feb. 13: Rochester Rat Pack (two shows 5 and 9 p.m.)
Friday, Feb. 19: Steve Rigo & Friends featuring Anthony LaBarbera
Saturday, Feb. 20: Big D & the Tasty Cafe
Friday, Feb. 26: Soul Mine
Saturday, Feb. 27: Fab Cats

*feature events denoted in bold

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Tioga and Vernon announce 2010 stakes schedule

by Dustin Ross, regional racing operations manager, Tioga/Vernon Downs

Nichols, NY --- Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs are proud to announce their 2010 stakes schedule which will offer more than $4.2 million in purse money.

The schedule includes several major changes including the addition of the Bettor's Delight Pace for older pacers with an estimated purse of $200,000, plus we have increased the purse of the three other events for older horses as well to an estimated $200,000.

We have also added the Simpson Stakes, formerly held at the Red Mile, with the 3-year-olds in mid-May as a prep for some of the major stakes, and the 2-year-olds in mid-October as a prep for the Lexington races a week later.

One of the other changes is that the New York State Fair races will be held in one weekend with the 2-year-olds racing at Vernon for the first time, and the 3-year-olds at Tioga.

Lastly, we have changed the Kindergarten Series to only include 2-year-old trotters, reduced the number of legs to four, and increased the purse for the final to an estimated $125,000.

Kicking off the 2010 stakes season will be the John F. Simpson Memorial Stakes for 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters. The Simpson stakes, originally named the Hanover-Hempt stakes, were renamed in 1993 to honor Hall of Fame horseman John F. Simpson Sr. Each division of the Simpson Stakes is named after a famous stallion bred by Hanover Shoe Farms. The Simpson Stakes will return to Vernon Downs, where the race held its longest tenure from 1974-1996, on Saturday, May 15, with divisions of the 3-year-old trotters. The 3-year- old pacers will race at Tioga Downs on Sunday, May 16. The 2-year-olds will race later in the year at Vernon Downs on October 7 and 8.

Following the Simpson stakes will be the third edition of the Empire Breeders Classic, a race for New York bred 3-year-old pacers and trotters. The $250,000 (est.) finals for the pacers will be held at Tioga Downs on Sunday, May 30, and will be followed at Vernon Downs on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, with the $250,000 (est.) finals for the trotters. The EBC shows off the best New York has to offer a week before the 3-year-old New York Sire Stakes schedule starts.

Up next is the fifth edition of the $200,000 (est.) Artiscape open mare pace at Tioga Downs. The Artiscape is set to go on Sunday, June 6. Tug River Princess won last year’s edition in 1:52.1, where the entire field was only separated by three lengths.

The following week at Tioga Downs is the second new edition to the 2010 stakes schedule. The $200,000 (est.) Bettor's Delight, “Bred in New York to Take on the World” open pace will go forward on Sunday, June 13. The addition of an open pace completes the set of four races Tioga and Vernon offer to older horses of each sex and gait to help keep our stars of racing around past their 3-year-old seasons.

The dates of July 15, 16, and 18 mark the return of the Grand Circuit to Tioga Downs with the Tompkins-Geers stakes. An estimated $500,000 will be up for grabs for the sport's top 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters in its fourth year at Tioga.

Next up is the Kindergarten Trotting Classic for 2-year-olds. The Classic will offer four guaranteed $10,000 legs, the first of which will be held at the Meadowlands on July 21 and 22. The three remaining legs will be held at Vernon Downs and will take place on Friday, August 20, Friday, September 10 and Friday, September 17. The $125,000 (est.) final for each sex is scheduled for Friday, September 24 at Vernon Downs.

Friday, July 30, will round out the month with the first leg of the Miss Versatility at the mile sized Meadowlands. The Miss Versatility showcases the “versatility” of the sport's top open mare trotters as they will have to race over four different sized surfaces in order to claim the title of Miss Versatility. The second leg is held at five-eighth-mile sized Tioga Downs on Sunday, August 22, followed by the third leg at seven-eighth-mile sized Vernon Downs on Thursday, September 2. The $150,000 (est.) final is raced over the famous half- mile oval at the Delaware County Fairgrounds on the same day as the Little Brown Jug.

Kicking off the stakes schedule in August will be the fourth annual Drivers' Challenge held at Tioga Downs on Sunday, August 1. The Challenge puts the top seven money winning drivers, the top driver at Tioga Downs, and a sponsor’s exemption in seven-nine overnight races to see who comes out on top as the Tioga Downs Drivers’ Challenge champion. Jason Bartlett took home the 2009 edition, holding off Ron Pierce in the five-eighths-mile dash for the cash to take home the $25,000 grand prize. Yannick Gingras and Brian Sears co-owned the title in 2007, with Yannick Gingras taking home the title outright in 2008.

The New York State Fair comes to town next, kicking off at Vernon Downs on Thursday, August 12, and Friday, August 13, with the 2-year-old pacers and trotters. The 3-year-old pacers and trotters follow on Saturday, August 14, and Sunday, August 15, at Tioga Downs.

Rounding out the August schedule is the 36th edition of the $300,000 (est.) Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Trot for 3-year-old colt and filly trotters. The race is set to go forward on Sunday, August 29, at Tioga Downs, the first time it has been held in late August. This will mark the fifth year of the Zweig at Tioga.

Friday, September 10, will mark the day for the $200,000 (est.) Conway Hall open mare trot. Defending champion Buck I St Pat will more than likely be back to defend her crown against a stout class of top mares in the 2010 edition at Vernon Downs.

The following week, Friday, September 17, at Vernon Downs marks the fourth edition of the $200,000 (est.) Credit Winner open trot. Arch Madness captured last year’s trophy with a quick 1:52.4 score with Brian Sears in the sulky.

Vernon Downs -- “The Place Where Trotters Come to Race” -- will open up its 90 day meet on Friday, April 16, at 6:55 p.m. Vernon races Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the meet at 6:55 p.m. with special 1:15 p.m. cards on Monday, July 5, and Monday, September 6.

Tioga Downs kicks off its meet on Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday, May 1, at 6:50 p.m. Tioga races Fridays and Saturdays at 6:50 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. Tioga also has six special cards scheduled during the meet. Tioga will go with a special 6:30 p.m. post on Sunday, May 30, as well as Sunday, July 4. Two Monday and two Wednesday cards are also scheduled during the 2010 season with 1:30 p.m. posts.

For more information, visit www.tiogadowns.com and www.vernondowns.com. You may also call the Tioga race office at (607) 699-7688.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

'Country Kick' at the Downs with Custom Taylor Band

On January 30,  Custom Taylor Band will host the first Country Kick at the Downs! Polish  your boots and join us for a night of country musi
On January 30, Custom Taylor Band will host the first Country Kick at the Downs! Polish your boots and join us for a night of country music from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. with Chris Taylor and the Custom Taylor Band! It is sure to be a night filled with Boot Scootin' entertainment!

The Custom Taylor Band is central New York's premier Top 40 country music band. The band has opened for Nashville acts such as Big & Rich, Craig Morgan, Mark Chesnut, Diamond Rio, Joe Diffie and Tracey Lawrence, just to name a few.

Ring Eyed Pete's offers an exciting atmosphere just off of the casino gaming floor. And, the acts usually go until 1 a.m.!

Vernon Downs is located at 4229 Stuhlman Road in Vernon, NY. For a full listing of events and more information about each band, please visit www.vernondowns.com.

Visit The Stage at Ring Eyed Pete's Bar and enjoy live entertainment every Friday and Saturday at Vernon Downs!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Tribute To The King


Friday, January 15th
Visit The Stage at Ring Eyed Pete’s Bar for TWO FREE SHOWS at 5 & 9 p.m. Terry Buchwald is a well-known tribute artist and recording artist from Western New York, who has earned the distinction of being named one of the top tribute artists in the United States by the LA Times. Audiences across the nation are astonished by his dynamic voice and striking resemblance to Elvis. By all accounts, Terry has the looks, the moves and the voice of the legendary “King.” Terry has performed in many major cities in the United States and Canada, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Hollywood, New York City and Toronto. He has also performed in countries as far away as Japan, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Please visit http://www.tcbtribute.com/ for more information about Terry Buchwald.

General admission for these two free shows is at 4:45 and 8:45 p.m. Vernon Downs Casino

Saturday, January 2, 2010

$500 Free Play Every 30 minutes

Saturday, January 9

Join us Saturdays in January when you can win $500 in Free Play every half hour in hot seat drawings! Just be playing on a machine with a Your Club Card between the hours of 6 and 10:30 p.m. for your chance to win! We’ll draw a winner every half hour to win $500 in Free Play!

Fab Cats

Saturday January 9, 2010

Visit The Stage at Ring Eyed Pete's Bar and enjoy free live entertainment at Vernon Downs! The Fab Cats are a talented Beatles tribute and oldies band and will perform from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.! Free live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night at Vernon Downs Casino!

Big D and the Tasty Cafe

Friday, January 8, 2010

Visit The Stage at Ring Eyed Pete's Bar and enjoy free live entertainment at Vernon Downs! Big D and the Tasty Cafe is a talented oldies band and will perform from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.! Free live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night!

Last chance for Sportgame!!

Sunday, January 3

Win your share of $1,000,000 by picking the winning NFL teams in Sportgame!