Undefeated trotting filly Kountry Plunge and pacing filly Cowboy Candy set divisional track records at Vernon Downs in the $357,142 finals of the Big Apple Stakes for New York-sired freshmen on Friday, Oct. 9.
Kountry Plunge made a mid-race move to take command in the Big Apple final for filly trotters and continued her perfect rookie campaign for trainer Ake Svanstedt while setting a divisional track record of 1:53.2 in the process.
Jason Bartlett aggressively sent Secret Lover to the front from post six, clicking off a sharp opening quarter of :27.2. Moving down the backstretch, Brian Sears tipped Kountry Plunge to the outside from third using an effortless brush and took the lead at the half in :57.1. She cruised to three-quarters in 1:26 and left the others in the dust. Seven Thirds (Matt Kakaley) was second best, finishing four lengths behind while Wavy Xavie (Jeff Gregory) rounded out the top three.
A daughter of Chaper Seven and Plunge Blue Chip, Kountry Plunge in undefeated in seven career starts for owners OBM Stable of Delray Beach, Florida, Svanstedt And Midnight Sun of Wrightstown, New Jersey, Bender Sweden of Vero Beach, Florida and Ecurie Diocles Ab of Sigtuna, Sweden.
Cowboy Candy smashed the track record for freshman filly pacers winning her Big Apple final in 1:49.2 with Jason Bartlett aboard for trainer Aaron Lambert.
Carly Shay (Brett Beckwith) went straight to the front from post five, blasting through an opening quarter in :25.4 then onto the half in :54. Meanwhile, 4-5 favourite Cowboy Candy sat patiently in fourth and made her move around the final turn to catch Carly Shay at three-quarters in 1:21.2. As they made the turn for home, Cowboy Candy opened a daylight advantage, pacing away from the field in hand. Annie O (Jeff Gregory) closed from the backfield to finish second, more than four lengths behind the winner. Huntsville Honey (Tyler Buter) was third best.
Cowboy Candy earned her eighth win in 10 career starts. The So Surreal-Caviart Elena filly is owned by Chain Lightning Stables of Beach Haven, New Jersey.
Sears and Bartlett also had success in the Big Apple finals for colts and geldings.
Sears teamed up with the Canadian-campaigned pacing colt Global Choice, who prevailed by a nose in a career-best 1:50.2 for trainer Garry Merner Jr. and owner Gino Toscani of Mount Hope, Ont.
Leon Bailey sent Its News To Me flying from post eight to seize the lead through a blazing :25.4 opening quarter while Rowdy Station (Brett Beckwith) settled directly behind him in the pocket. Bailey tapped the brakes in the second quarter, leading the field through a :55 half-mile before Rose Run Cowboy (Jason Barlett) went first-up to challenge heading around the final turn and got his nose in front as they hit three-quarters in 1:22.4. However, Global Choice, who followed in fifth early on, came charging three-wide and persevered after a stretch battle with Its News To Me. Rowdy Station finished third.
Global Choice, a colt by Courtly Choice out of Peak Of Chic, notched his third career win in 13 starts.
Bartlett's other Big Apple victory was with the Marcus Melander-trained trotting colt Gios Hope, who lowered his lifetime mark to 1:53.1.
Archon (Jordan Stratton) fired to the front front post six through a sharp opening quarter of :27.2. However, Ocean Storm (Brett Beckwith) was not content to sit in the pocket and the 3-5 favoured William Wellwood Memorial champion moved to the front before the field reached the half in :57. Gios Hope, who had followed in fourth, came flying around the final turn and went head-to-head with a stubborn Ocean Storm at the three-quarter beam in 1:25.1. As they made the turn for home, Gios Hope dug deep on the rim, grinding past Ocean Storm at the top of the stretch to take a narrow lead. Just as Gios Hope cleared, Archon came all out after the leader, but Gios Hope refused to give in, winning by a quarter of a length. Ocean Storm settled for third.
Gios Hope, a son of Chapter Seven out of Southwind Hope, has won half of his eight career starts for owners Brixton Medical of Matawan, New Jersey and Hatfield Stables of Columbus, Ohio.
Outside of the stakes action, Leon Bailey drove five winners on the 14-race card.
Live harness racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday with a post time of 5:05 p.m.
(With files from Vernon Downs; photo of Global Choice winning on Oct. 9)