SWEETNORTHERNSAINT IS FAVORITE FOR WADSWORTH
Contact: David Mattice
Publicity Dept.
585-924-3232 x234
FARMINGTON, N.Y. – Sweetnorthernsaint will be gunning for his fifth career stakes victory in the 33rd renewal of the $50,000 Wadsworth Memorial Handicap at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack on Saturday. The Steve Klesaris-trainee is the 5-2 program choice for the one mile and one eighth route for 3-year-olds and up.
The 6-year-old Florida-bred will visit Finger Lakes for the first time with a resume that includes seven victories in 24 career starts and a total of $917,632 in lifetime purse earnings. As a 3-year-old he won the Grade 2 $500,000 Illinois Derby and finished second behind Bernardini in the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Preakness Stakes. John Davila, Jr. will be aboard the 123-pound highweight for owners Joseph Balsamo and Ted Theos.
Tommasi enters Finger Lakes’ longest stake after a fourth place finish in the $66,950 Seaport Mac Stakes at Belmont Park on May 22. The 7-year-old gelding owned by Tina Marie Bond has been competitive in the annual route with a third place finish last year and a respectable fourth place finish behind $3,529,412 earner Funny Cide in 2007. John Grabowski will be in the saddle of the 8-1 outsider who will be saddled by trainer H. James Bond.
Mark Corrado and Mark Hanna’s Crafty Mark will be class tested in the Independence Day feature after finishing second in his last start at Finger Lakes in a $20,000 claiming race on June 23. He has finished no worse than third in five of his six starts at "The Thumb". A jockey has not yet been listed to ride the $105,040 earner for trainer Chris Englehart.
NIAGARA STAKES
The 28th renewal of the $50,000 Niagara stakes will be run as the seventh race on Saturday. Gold for the Queen is the 3-2 morning line favorite for the six furlong dash for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies. The Charlton Baker-trainee finished third against older rivals over a sloppy surface in an allowance race on June 20 at Finger Lakes. Dennis Carr will be in the irons of the bay filly who is owned by Francis Paolangeli.
The two stakes are part of the festivities planned for "Family Day at the Races" on July 4 at Finger Lakes. There will be live music, an outdoor chicken barbecue, and activities for the kids. The first 1,000 Members to check into Player Extras will receive a free pair of Finger Lakes Flip Flops. Jockeys will be available for autographs between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. and will participate in a footrace between the fifth and sixth race. The "All-Star Buglers" will perform the call to the post and other anthems throughout the day.
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