Nichols, N.Y. — Andreios Kardia ($6.10) had no trouble overcoming his assigned post 9 in Monday (September 5) afternoon's featured $13,000 Open Handicap Pace at Tioga Downs, using a :54.4 back half to trounce his eight harness racing Labor Day rivals.
Andreios Kardia was among a host of early leavers, including All Stienam (Brandon Arsenault) and Flying Cowboy (Kyle DiBenedetto). Despite being forced to travel wide on the entirety of the first turn, the 5-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding achieved the lead through a :26.4 first quarter and would never look back. After driver Aaron Byron rated a brief second-quarter breather, Andreios Kardia used another :26.4 quarter to gain separation on his competition, ultimately drawing clear by 6-1/4 lengths to defeat the late-rallying Dee's Rocketman (Tyler Freese) and F Twenty Two (Corey Braden)–both of whom took advantage of chain-reaction interference in the second flight to make their late bids–in 1:49.4. trains 13-time winner Andreios Kardia for owner-breeder Ina Madill. Jeffrey Byron
Two weekends of racing remain in the 2016 season at Tioga Downs. The next program is scheduled for Friday (September 9) evening, with post time slated for 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
by James Witherite, Tioga Downs