Harness Handicapping Tips

[douglasw32]

I'm a thoroughbred handicapper, I know the terminolgy and basics of Harness, but are there any "laws" I should know...handicapping laws, like never use the outside post positions etc...

Any POINTERS would be appreciated as I am visiting our New harness track (Tioga Downs) this weekend and would really rather not contribute to there fortunes...

:)

[Tom]

Tioga? That used to be quarter horses! Nice to hear it is back up as harness.
Is it a half miler?

Is so, look for inside speed, most likely. I wonder if they will be simulcasting the races anywhere?

Good luck.

[douglasw32]

http://www.tiogadowns.com/

Yes it is a half mile...completely redone.

They turne the old track into a very nice NEW facility...I don't care about the gaming floor they will have but it is nice racing is back in our local area even if it racing I have little understanding of ;)

I hope to fix that now.

[wilderness]

Tioga has been converted to a 5/8's.
The only one in NY.

They also have a link on this page (left column) for live video:
http://www.tiogadowns.com/racing.html

[Tom]

Vernon is 5/8's isn't it?
It is closed but....

[Tom]

Nice website - I think a trip or two there is in the cards. I think I am a couple hours away.

[wilderness]

"Vernon is 5/8's isn't it?
It is closed but...."

Hey Tom,
Vernon "WAS" a 3/4 with a chute at the head of the stretch.
(Have a photo if your interested, email me with a an address.)

I seem to recall the new surface will be a 7/8 (could be wrong).

Grural who owns Tioga also bought in to Vernon. He was hoping Vernon would open this year, however some recent problems posed by the racing commission and their requirements will likely postpone opening till 2007.
There was a release later than the following (unable to find):
http://www.harnessracing.com/news_detailed.php?id=4490

This an earlier release:
http://www.ustrotting.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=15697&z=1

[wilderness]

"Nice website - I think a trip or two there is in the cards. I think I am a couple hours away."

The Fairgrounds at Owego held harness racing long before any Quarters stepped on the surface.

I have two old artilces; one from 1949 inaugurating the harness racing and a later article from 1955.

[douglasw32]

Cool info..

[Tom]

I just got directions - 208 miles, jut over 2 hours. That's cool.
I'll be following this track for a while - nice night simos, too.

[Richie]

Hey Tom

Are you driving 104 MPH up there? ;)

[wilderness]

I looked at Tom's city and plotted the distance on my Delorean software.
It was around 90 miles and listed the time as two hours and seventeen minutes from downtown to downtown.

Here's a link to an article on Vernon.
http://www.oneidadispatch.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=16746545&BRD=1709&PAG=461&dept_id=68844&rfi=8

[Tom]

Hey Tom

Are you driving 104 MPH up there? ;)

Well yeah......!

Hehe - should be 108 miles.