Vernon gets ready for season opener

Tuesday, April 13, 2010 - by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY --- Vernon Downs will begin its 57th pari-mutuel season with live racing starting at 6:55 p.m. this Friday and Saturday nights. The track’s 90-card campaign will extend through November 27.

Track superintendent Tony Rossi had a look of satisfaction on his face Tuesday morning (April 13) as he watched Diamond Stick Pin and Wake Up Little Gus uncork the fastest pacing and trotting miles, respectively, of the young qualifying season.

With Howard Okusko, Jr. doing the teaming for his wife, trainer Jessica Okusko, Diamond Stick Pin posted a 1:53.2 triumph in Tuesday’s second race, while Robert Moran, steering for owner and trainer Bette Jean Calice, urged Wake Up Little Gus to a 1:56.4 score in the third race.

“We’ve had good weather of late, and the track has shaped up nicely,” Rossi explained. “We resurfaced it yesterday and, after today’s four races, I’d say we’re good to go for Friday night’s opener.”

Downs Doings: Okusko, who also finished first with the trotter Dusty Diamond in Tuesday’s first contest, oversees a 46 horse stable at Vernon, including 17 2-year-olds…Conducting a double-draw on Tuesday, racing secretary Shane Hoehn had more than enough horses for this weekend’s two programs when he opened the entry box. “Everyone is looking forward to getting the live racing underway,” he stated…The Downs will present live racing on Friday and Saturday evenings only during its initial three weekends. Thursday programs will be added starting May 6…Additional information regarding the track and its casino can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.

Double draw for opening weekend at Vernon Downs

Monday, April 12, 2010 - by Nick Salvi, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY --- Vernon Downs kicks off the 2010 live racing season this coming weekend and will conduct a double draw for both the Friday and Saturday cards on Tuesday, April 13, with the box closing at 12 Noon.

Condition sheets may be found at the Vernon Web site and the Race Office phone number is 315.829.6825.

Tioga to lower takeout rates

Thursday, March 11, 2010 - by Dustin Ross, regional racing operations manager, Tioga/Vernon Downs

Nichols, NY --- Tioga Downs, in its relatively short history, has consistently been on the cutting edge of adapting the racing model toward a more positive result. In a direct response to the vocal concerns of horseplayers, Tioga Downs will reduce its takeout rate across the board to the state minimum allowed by New York law for the 2010 racing season, pending regulatory approval of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board.

By taking such an action, Tioga management is hopeful that a positive response, over due course, will result in increased handle on its live races and foster an industry trend toward more competitive pricing.

Payments for Tioga & Vernon Stakes Due March 15

Published: March 11, 2010 10:25 am ET

Tioga and Vernon Downs will offer over $4 million in stakes over the course of the 2010 racing season, and the time has come to secure eligibility for those lucrative races.

The $1 million Empire Breeders Classic for New York-sired three-year-olds will kick off the season for statebreds on Memorial Day weekend, offering $250,000 (est.) finals for all divisions. Due by March 15 are the three-year-old sustaining, two-year-old nomination, and stallion nomination payments.

The Kindergarten Classic has been restructured to race freshmen trotters only in 2010, and the added money has been increased, raising the final for both colts and fillies to $120,000 (est.). The series will offer five legs, beginning at the Meadowlands Racetrack in late July and continuing at Vernon through the September 24 finals. A $500 nominating payment is due on March 15 with another $500 due April 15 to sustain.

The Bettors Delight 'Bred in New York to take on the World,' an open pace, has been added to the existing set of races for the older stars of the sport. In fact, all of the stakes offered for older open types -- the Credit Winner, Conway Hall and Artiscape -- have been enriched with more added dollars to raise the purses for each to $200,000 (est.) in 2010. These races require a $2,000 March 15 nomination and a $2,000 April 15 sustaining payment.

The popular Miss Versatility mare trot will return on July 30 with the first leg at the Meadowlands, and will travel to Tioga and Vernon before the $120,000 (est.) final at the Delaware Ohio County Fairgrounds. Payments are $1,500, due in both March and April.

The Rags to Riches series for claiming horses has been discontinued.

Complete information on the aforementioned races is available at the Tioga website.

Vernon Downs will also host the 2010 edition of the two-year-old John Simpson Memorial Stakes. Those races have been scheduled in early October as a prelude for freshman trotters and pacers on their way to Kentucky. Eligibility requires a March 15 payment and the conditions do provide for supplemental nominations. The Tompkins-Geers stakes will race at Tioga Downs in mid July, two-year-old payments for those races are also due in March.

The Hambletonian Society handles the payments for the Simpson and Tompkins-Geers.

Settlemoir named USHWA President

Wednesday, March 03, 2010 - by Jerry Connors, secretary, USHWA

Harrisburg, PA -- Jason Settlemoir, adding another office of authority to his burgeoning collection of important harness racing positions, was named President of the United States Harness Writers Association during this past weekend's annual meeting of USHWA in Yonkers, N.Y.

Settlemoir, vice president of racing and simulcasting for New York State tracks Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs and already a Vice President of Harness Tracks of America and a director of the U.S. Trotting Association, succeeds former president Debbie Little of the New York Post, who will now assume the position of Chair of the Board of the writers organization. Settlemoir was quick to praise his predecessor.

"Debbie Little devoted incredible amounts of time and energy to USHWA in order to make sure that it operated as best as it can, and accomplished many good things," Settlemoir noted. "Debbie and I have talked about the 'top spot' in our organization, and I'm sure her counsel will remain valuable as I step up to face the challenges of the USHWA presidency."

Veteran racing scribe and publicist Steve Wolf of Florida moves up a chair to first vice-president, while Chris Tully of Goshen Historic Track joins the Board as second vice-president. As mentioned, Little will become the Chair of the USHWA Board. Returning in familiar roles will be Alan Prince as Treasurer; Bill Brown as Executive Secretary; and Jerry Connors as Secretary.

The U.S. Harness Writers Association is a 200-plus member association devoted to the communication of the major developments of the sulky game. It elects members of the Hall of Fame and the various year-end awards, both human and equine; it is involved in charitable and educational enterprises; and it annually organizes the annual banquet which honors the best and brightest of the sport, with the dinner last Sunday at Yonkers honoring 2009's champions.

Harness Racing Hall of Fame Communicators' Corner 2010 Inductee - Jim Moran

			Jim Moran began his harness racing career as clerk of the course at Vernon Downs in May of 1962, and by 1965 he was the track’s sole announcer, a position he still holds today. He became the track’s publicity director in 1975 and was elected to the Board of Directors of Vernon Downs’ parent company, Mid-State Raceway, Inc., in 1986, serving in that capacity through March of 2002. Along the way, he was also the corporation’s vice-president, assistant secretary and secretary. Moran is a past president and Chairman of the Board of the North American Harness Publicists Association and was the group’s Golden Pen Award recipient in 1990. Moran has been a member of the Vernon Chapter-USHWA (now the Upstate New York Chapter) since the mid-1970s and has been the group’s secretary/treasurer since 1978. Moran was inducted into the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. The following year he retired as Vernon ’s Media/Marketing Coordinator. Moran still performs publicity duties for the Downs and recently finished his 45th season as the track’s announcer.
For information on The Harness Racing Museum's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, including ticketing and hotel information, click here or call the museum at 845.294.6330. Attendance at the event is open to the public and encouraged.

Zweig format to change for 2012

Friday, February 12, 2010 - by Jason Bluhm, Director of Racing, Tioga Downs

Nichols, NY --- The Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old trotters (an open and filly division) will have a new format and a new purse when the rich and historic race goes postward in 2012.

Starting with the yearlings being nominated in 2010 to race as 3-year-olds in 2012, the single final and consolation format that is taking the harness racing world by storm will replace the current practice of racing divisions.

The newer system would take the top nine money earners from 2012 that declare and place them in an estimated $400,000 Open final ($170,000 estimated Filly final). The next nine highest money earners that declare for the Open would race in a consolation for an estimated $80,000 (Filly consolation $40,000). Any horse that declares for the race and does not draw in will receive a refund of their 3-year-old payments. The added money for the two events will also increase from $75,000 to a minimum of $125,000.

"We're looking forward to