Tioga Downs: Geers galore on Sunday afternoon's program

Drivers Jim Marohn Jr. and Scott Zeron both won a pair of Geers divisions for 3-year-old pacers on Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs.

Marohn Jr.'s first victory came in the first of two splits for colts as he guided 6-5 favorite Mac's Jackpot to a 1:50 2/5 score. Mac's Jackpot took over the lead in the $33,935 event just past the 27 1/5 opening quarter, and he would maintain control from there, eventually winning by a length and a half over Northwest Yankee (Brett Miller). The Wall (Zeron) would finish third.

Mac's Jackpot is a gelded son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by Jim Campbell for owner/breeder Jeff Snyder. This was Mac's Jackpot's seventh career victory, and he has now earned $197,046. He paid $4.70 to win.

Ideal Plan completed Marohn Jr.'s double when she won the second flight for the fillies in 1:53 1/5. Ideal Plan had led through opening-half fractions of 27 3/5 and 56 2/5 in the $25,960 tilt, but she was overtaken by Oceania (Jim Taggart Jr.) before the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters. Race favorite Tori Hanover (Zeron) went by Oceania from first-over on the far turn, but Marohn Jr. got Ideal Plan out behind Tori Hanover, came to her outside in the lane, and wore her down late to prevail by half a length. Shepulledthegoalie (Brett Miller), who was ninth and last at the half, came with a strong rally to nab third.

A filly by Western Ideal, Ideal Plan is trained by Casie Coleman for owners West Wins Stable, Jim Fielding, and Kevin McKinlay. Ideal Plan is now a five-time winner in her life, and she pushed her bankroll to $78,077. The 5-1 third choice, Ideal Plan returned $12.20 to win.

Zeron would take the other two Geers tests for the fillies, teaming up with trainer Linda Toscano for both of them. Their first winner was World Apart, who would win the first $25,960 section in 1:52 2/5 after showing the way through stations of 26 4/5, 56, and 1:23 4/5. She would defeat 4-5 favorite Someomensomewhere (Marohn Jr.) by a length and three-quarters, with Sweetest Emotion (Brett Miller) back in third.

World Apart is a daughter of Art Major owned by South Mountain Stables, The Bay`s Stable LLC., Little E LLC., and Radio Racing Stable. World Apart now has a record of 5-2-4 from 17 attempts, and she has put away $170,656. Dispatched at 5-1, she paid $12.40 to win.

Robin J was Zeron and Toscano's other winner as she bagged the last $25,460 Geers dash in 1:51 2/5. She was positioned third as Magic Forces (Marcus Miller) put up a 26 3/5 first quarter and a 56 1/5 half, but Robin J came with a brush just past the half that carried her into the lead before the 1:23 2/5 three-quarters. Up by just over a length at three-quarters, Robin J pulled steadily away in the final stanza, reporting home with a five-length decision over Touchamatic (Brett Miller). No Chaser (Tom Jackson) collected third.

The victorious Roll With Joe filly is owned by Ken Jacobs. Robin J scored her eighth career triumph, and she has now pocketed $250,555. She was the even-money favorite and returned $4.20 to win.

Independent One (Jim Taggart Jr.) was the only horse able to break the Marohn Jr./Zeron stranglehold on the proceedings as he took the second $34,435 division for colts in 1:51 3/5. He was first-over before the 55 4/5 half, but wore down pace-setter and favorite Jo Pa's Somebeach (Brett Miller) in the stretch, then held off a charging Art Scene (Zeron) to tally by a neck. Jo Pa's Somebeach had to settle for third.

John Butenschoen trains Independent One, a gelding by Rocknroll Hanover, for owners Pinske Stables and William Wiswell. Independent One, winless in five tries as a 2-year-old, has picked up four victories this season, and he shows lifetime earnings of $51,437. The 9-2 second choice, Independent One paid $11.80 to win.