Five-star performance for Merton

Harness racing driver Mike Merton and trainer Gaston Lareau had a night to remember at Tioga Downs on Friday (August 12).

Merton drove five winners during the eight-race card.  He combined with Lareau for wins with Crystal Sparkles ($12.40), PL Notorious ($4.30), and Reticent Hanover ($3.20).  Merton got his other wins with Original Smokey ($3.70), and The Charging Moa N ($3.00).

A Better Game (Betterthancheddar, Brandon Parker) takes the $9,000 featured fillies & mares’ pace.

Gold Star Igotdis (Corey Braden) was first to the quarter in :27.3.  Rigginswind (Kyle Cummings) took the lead with a lap to go and was first to the half in :56.3.  A Better Game ($3.90) came flying first-over down the backstretch and blew right on by to lead to three-quarters in 1:24.1.

As they made the turn for home it was all A Better Game.  Second Place finisher came all out but could only watch as A Better Game won easily in 1:52.3.  Donegalartchokin N (Mike Simons) finished third.

A BETTER GAME REPLAY

A Better Game is a 4-year-old mare.  She is owned by Patrick Gregory and trained by Mike Watson.  It was her sixth win this season and her ninth career victory.

Tioga Downs returns to Live racing on Saturday (August 13) with a 13-race card featuring two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for 2-year-old trotting colts & geldings starting at 6:15 p.m.

For complete race results, click here.

by John Horne, for Tioga Downs