Vernon Downs ran eliminations for the Empire Breeders Classic (EBC) for sophomore trotters on Friday night (May 18).

The elimination round consisted of three divisions for three-year-old fillies and two divisions for three-year-old colts. The top three fillies in each elimination and the top four colts (plus one fifth-place finisher) will compete in the EBC finals on Memorial Day (May 28). Each class will race for an estimated $250,000 purse. All elimination races were for a purse of $12,500.

Six Pack (Ake Svanstedt) won the first division for sophomore trotting colts.

Ronnie Goldstein (Kim Crawford) took the lead into the first quarter (:26.1). Six Pack ($3.00) took over right after the quarter. However, Helpisontheway (Tim Tetrick) brushed on by to take the half in :56.2 and led to the three-quarter mark in 1:26.1.

Six Pack, who is owned by Little E LLC, Stall Kalmar, Lars Berg, and trainer Svanstedt, sat patiently in the pocket then wore down Helpisontheway to tie the track record for three-year-old trotting colts in 1:52.1. He tied the mark first set by Market Share in 2012. Helpisontheway held on for second. Classichap (Trond Smedshammer) finished third with Southwind Chrome (Scott Zeron) getting fourth-place. All four qualified for the EBC finals on Memorial Day.

Seven Iron (Tim Tetrick) used one last lunge to win the second division for three-year-old trotting colts.

Tito (Andrew McCarthy) took the early lead, hitting the first quarter in 27.2. Voss Volo (Corey Callahan) then took over and led to the half in :56.3. On The Ropes (Ake Svanstedt) then made his bid and had a slight lead after hitting three-quarters in 1:26.

Seven Iron ($6.40), who is owned by Kenneth Jacobs and trained by Linda Toscano, found himself fifth after three-quarters. Tetrick would send him three-wide in deep stretch just getting by to win in a lifetime-best mark of 1:54.2.

On The Ropes narrowly took the runner-up spot. Voss Volo managed to finish third with Clive Bigsby (Scott Zeron) getting the fourth position. All four qualify for the EBC final. They will be joined by fifth-place finisher Purpose Blue Chip (Dan Daley) to round out the nine qualifiers.

Seven Iron is a three-year-old colt by Chapter Seven. The win was his first of 2018 and his third career victory.

Atlanta (Scott Zeron) coasted to an easy win in the EBC first division for three-year-old fillies.

White Cheetah (Marcus Miller) led the group to the first quarter mark in :27. The lead was short-lived as Atlanta ($2.20), who is owned by Howard Taylor, Holland Racing Stable, Bradley Grant and trainer Rick Zeron, blew right by and never looked back. She would control the rest of the fractions (:56.2, 1:26.1, 1:53.1).

Golden Muscle (Drew Monti) charged late to finish in second with Tribute To Seven (Tim Tetrick) getting the third spot. All three fillies qualified for the EBC final.

Atlanta is a three-year-old filly by Chapter Seven. She is two-for-two in her sophomore season and has six career victories.

Plunge Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt) went gate-to-wire to capture the second division for sophomore fillies.

Plunge Blue Chip ($3), who is owned by trainer Svanstedt, Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., and Tomas Anderson, charged out for the lead and controlled all the fractions (:27.4, :57.2, 1:26, 1:54). Her stablemate Ciao Dolce (Andy Miller) followed the whole way to finish second. Repentance (Tim Tetrick) finished third. All three will be in the EBC final.

Plunge Blue Chip is a three-year-old filly by Muscle Mass. The win was her second of the season and she now has won 11 of her 12 career starts.

The third division for three-year-old fillies went to Natalie Hanover (Ake Svanstedt).

Seven Karats (Tim Tetrick) took the lead and put up all the early fractions (:27.1, :57.1, 1:26.2). Natalie Hanover ($9.30), who is owned by Van Camp Trotting Corp., Anders Olsson, and Borje Nasstrom while trained by Svanstedt, followed in the pocket all the way to the three-quarters mark. The two fillies would battle all the way down the stretch. Natalie Hanover was just too strong and got the victory. Seven Karats held for second. Supergirl Riley (Marcus Miller) came up late to finish third. All three qualified to complete the field of nine for the EBC final.

Natalie Hanover is a three-year-old filly by Chapter Seven. She picked up her first win of the season and her third career victory with a lifetime-best time of 1:54.1.

It was a big day for Ake Svanstedt with three wins and one second in the elimination races.

(With files from Vernon Downs)