Rocknificent and Hen Party won their respective divisions of the sixth and final leg of the Kindergarten Classic for two-year-olds Friday night at the Meadowlands, setting up what should be an interesting final for pacing fillies next week.
Rocknificent sat in the three-hole from the start, and when driver Scott Zeron asked for speed nearing the top of the stretch, the daughter of Captaintreacherous-Rocklamation responded in a big way, powering to a 6-3/4-length win over Courting Marie in a lifetime-best 1:51.1 for trainer Linda Toscano. The 2-5 favourite returned $2.80 to her backers in winning for the fifth time in 10 starts.
Hen Party was permitted to rate a middle half in :58 on the way to an easy score in a lifetime-best 1:52.2 for driver Pat Berry and trainer Ron Burke. The daughter of Roll With Joe-My Lady Day was 1-1/2 lengths clear of Love For Sail at the wire. She’s now won three of 14 starts with a total of 11 on-the-board finishes. She paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 public's choice.
In other Kindergarten Classic action, El Ideal was dominant in the colt and gelding trot, hitting the wire 6-1/4 lengths in front of Barley for driver Andy Miller and trainer Ake Svanstedt. The son of Muscle Hill-Courtney Hall completed the mile in 1:54.1 and paid $2.20 to win at odds of 1-9.
Chief Mate pulled off an upset in the colt and gelding pace, scoring at odds of 7-1 – paying $16.20 – with Mitch Cushing driving for trainer Tony Alagna. The product of Captaintreacherous-Heaven Forbid hit the wire three-quarters of a length in front of Force N Fury in 1:50.4, a lifetime best. Captain Barbossa, one of six Alagna trainees among the nine starters in the race, finished third as the 4-5 favourite.
Filly trotter Senorita Rita never had an anxious moment on the way to a five-length score over Common Sense S in a lifetime-best 1:54. The daughter of Chapter Seven-Lindys Head Nurse, who was driven by Zeron and is trained by Toscano, returned $3.60 to win as the 4-5 favourite.
A LITTLE MORE: The four Kindergarten Classic Finals take place Saturday, Nov. 2, and have estimated purses totaling just over $850,000. … Both Andy Miller and Marcus Miller recorded driving triples on the program. … Trainer Jenn Bongiorno sent three to the winner’s circle. … One lucky player wagering into the Twin Sires hub was the only bettor to last seven legs in the 20-cent Survivor Pick-10 and walked away with $6,302. … All-source wagering on the 13-race program totaled $1,762,565. … Simulcasting from Woodbine Mohawk Park, a card that includes eight Breeders Crown Finals, gets underway Saturday at 7 p.m. … Live racing at the Big M resumes Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
(Meadowlands)