Tioga: Atlanta vs. Manchego in Joie De Vie showdown

Eight heavy-hitting trotting mares will strut their stuff at Tioga Downs on Sunday afternoon in the $132,000 Joie De Vie, part of a strong 13-race program that also features the $148,000 Crawford Farms Trot and eliminations for the Empire Breeders Classic.

Atlanta leads the pack in the Joie De Vie with six wins in seven starts this year and earnings of $438,330. Her only loss came in her most recent start at the added distance of 1 1/8 miles in the Hambletonian Maturity versus the boys at The Meadowlands. After a few weeks off to rest, the 2018 Hambletonian winner returns against the sharpest trotting mare in the country Manchego.

The Nancy Johansson-trained Manchego started slowly this year but has really turned her season around since adding Lasix two starts back at The Meadowlands. Since then she has blazed her way to consecutive victories in 1:50 1/5 and 1:50, including defeating former Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover in the John Steele Memorial last Saturday (8/3).

Atlanta starts from post 6 for trainer Ron Burke and driver Yannick Gingras while Manchego has regular pilot Dexter Dunn in the bike from post 2.

The ninth race field of eight for the Joie De Vie also includes: Emoticon Hanover (pp1), Dream Together (pp3), Darling Mearas S (pp4), Top Expectations (pp5), Plunge Blue Chip (pp7) and Custom Cantab (pp8).

One race earlier, six older trotters will battle in the Crawford Farms.

The one-two finishers in the Vincennes Trot at The Meadowlands on August 3 – Mission Accepted and Pinkman – will compete again. They are joined by Canadian invader Run Director, Spirit of Massachusetts runner-up The Veteran, 1:50 2/5 winner this year Fiftydallarbill and recent New Zealand import Speeding Spur N.

A baker’s dozen signed up for the colt and gelding division of the Empire Breeders Classic for 3-year-olds and it was split into six- and seven-horse fields, races five and seven on the card.

The fireworks are more likely in the second split where Hickfromfrenchlick and Shake That House meet up for the second straight time. On Monday (8/4), the pair hooked up in all-out speed duel that saw the former prevail in track record-equaling 1:51 2/5 performance.

The top four in each EBC elimination along with one fifth-place finisher will return for the $238,200 final on August 18. Also on that date will be the $232,700 EBC final for filly pacers. Only nine dropped in for that event and the entire lot will head straight to the final. Horses and post positions for that race are as follows:

1. JK American Beauty

2. Fool Me Again

3. DD Delicious

4. Zero Tolerance

5. St Somewhere

6. Gia’s Surreal

7. Brooklyn Lilacs

8. Hurrikane Norakane

9. Topville Angelina

Post time for Tioga this Sunday is 1 PM.