Tioga: Freshmen go after Grand Circuit glory in Reynolds Memorials

Two-year-olds of both sexes and gaits were in action on Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs in a number of W.N. Reynolds Memorial events.

Pacing colts and geldings were divided up into a pair of $38,650 contests, and Groovy Joe (Matt Kakaley) won the first one by a neck in 1:54 2/5 after leading through fractions of 27 1/5, 58, and 1:25 2/5. Pocket-sitter Western Vacation (Andy Miller) rallied but ran out of racetrack, with Columbo (David Miller) third after a first-over trip.

"He's just a handy little horse. He's been a little bit of a surprise, but it's nice to have him," said winning trainer and co-owner Blake MacIntosh. "He's back here next week for the sire stakes, and then the sire stakes final (at Batavia)."

Hutt Racing Stable co-owns the victorious Roll With Joe-Chotat Milk colt, a $17,000 Goshen Yearling Sale buy bred by Winbak Farm. Groovy Joe has six wins and two seconds from eight chances, and he has now pocketed $148,595. He paid $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favorite.

The other colt and gelding pace dash went to Freedom Warrior (D. Miller) in 1:52 4/5. He was positioned fourth through stations of 27 4/5, 56 2/5, and 1:24 2/5 and was out and moving heading towards three-quarters. He picked up cover from a pocket-pulling Level Up (Jim Morrill Jr.), went three-wide on the final bend, and rallied past on his way to the win by a length and a half. Bombshell Hanover (A. Miller) was second after leading into the stretch, with Level Up third.

"He felt real good. Nice and strong and relaxed. Just been trying to settle him down, and he's been catching on," David Miller offered. "I started him up and then had to stop him, and that showed he's getting a little wiser about racing. He's been handling these last couple races pretty handy. Hopefully he keeps progressing."

Freedom Warrior is an American Ideal-Chief Karen colt trained by Kevin Lare for owner Forrest Bartlett. Bred by Curran Racing LLC., Adam Michael, and Heidi Rohr, Freedom Warrior now sports a record of 3-1-2 from seven starts, and he has banked $101,948. Freedom Warrior was dispatched at 1-2 and returned $3.10 to win.

Filly pacers raced in one $49,600 non-wagering race, and Ideal Dancer (Kakaley) angled out of the pocket on the final bend and surged by pace-setter (27 1/5, 58 1/5, and 1:27 1/5) AP Emily's Dance (A. Miller) to prevail by three lengths in 1:57 1/5. Bolt Of Speed (D. Miller) collected third.

Scott DiDomenico trains Ideal Dancer, an American Ideal-Shawnee Dancer filly, for owners Triple D Stables Inc., Jfe Enterprise LLC., R.B.H. Ventures Inc., and Donald Robinson. She broke her maiden in her eighth chance and pushed her bankroll into five figures.

Back Of The Neck (Mattias Melander), who made the Peter Haughton Memorial final, was victorious in the single $62,400 clash for trotting colts and geldings, posting fractions of 27 2/5, 59, and 1:26 4/5 before closing in 29 2/5 to score by three-parts of a length in 1:56 1/5. Moon Bridge (Morrill Jr.) was next, followed by Coventry Hall (Tyler Buter).

Breeder Order By Stable co-owns Back Of The Neck, a Ready Cash-Big Barb colt, with Howard and Judith Taylor. Back Of The Neck has won half of his four opportunities, and he now shows earnings of $41,845. He was the 4-5 choice and paid $3.70 to win.

Swedish-bred Common Sense (Morrill Jr.), a winner in a Tompkins Stakes race at Tioga earlier this month, added a Reynolds title to her collection with a 1:55 4/5 triumph in the $56,800 tilt for trotting fillies. She led to the 28 second opening quarter, released favored Heart N Soul Deo (D. Miller), followed her to the 56 3/5 half and 1:25 3/5 three-quarters, tipped out on the last turn, and was up to score by two lengths over Thankful For You (Buter). Heart N Soul Deo had to settle for third.

Trainer Ake Svanstedt also co-owns Common Sense, a daughter of Trixton-Opportunity, with S R F Stable. Bred by Menhammar Stuteri AB, Common Sense made her third appearance in the winner's circle, and she has now put away $73,100. Common Sense raced as part of an entry that was the second choice at even-money and returned $4.20 to win.