Dancinwiththestarz, One More Laugh, Full Tank and Coco Lindy earned championship honours with their respective victories in Saturday night’s Kindergarten Classic finals at Vernon Downs
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Dancinwiththestarz ($2.30) secured her fifth straight score with a 1:56.1 showing in the $105,250 KC two-year-old filly pace. Trainer John Stark, Jr. guided the bay daughter of Four Starzzz Shark-So Western into the lead after the opening quarter and the steady-striding filly never looked back en route to a five-length victory over Ladybones. It was the ninth tally in 12 starts for the winner of $249,710, who is owned by the W. Springtime Racing Stable and Shannon Brott.
World Champion One More Laugh ($2.10) snapped a string of two second-place finishes with an explosive 1:55.2 performance in the $84,250 KC two-year-old colt/gelding pace. With stablemate Matt Guitar Murphy setting fast early fractions, the gifted gelding advanced from third to second at the top of the stretch, and then unleashed a sizzling stretch surge that carries him to a 9-1/2 length triumph over Eagle Jolt. Tim Tetrick did the steering for trainer Ray Schnittker, who owns the bay son of Mcardle-Fancy Creek Funny along with Mathias Meinzinger and Jerry Silva. The impressive effort resulted in the ninth victory in 12 starts for the winner of $594,306.
Full Tank ($6.00) continued her winning ways with a fast-closing 1:58.1 triumph in the $82,750 KC two-year-old filly trot. Andrew Mccarthy did the teaming for trainer Bob Bencal as the bay daughter of Muscles Yankee-Arenal rallied three wide from fourth around the final turn and closed from second in the payoff patch to produce a three-length tally over Offbroadway De Vie. The quick mile over a track rated “sloppy” came within three-fifths-of-a-second of the track’s standard for frosh filly high-steppers and resulted in her third win in succession and fifth in nine starts. The winner of $115,449 is owned by the Little E LLC stable.
Coco Lindy ($2.90) helped Tetrick attain a four-win evening with a front-striding 1:58.2 tally in the KC two-year-old colt/gelding trot. The reliable homebred bay son of Cantab Hall-Nutty Butty cut splits of :28.3, 1:00.1 and 1:29.4 on his way to a 2-3/4-length decision over Flex The Muscle. It was the fourth local win and the sixth score in seven appearances for the winner of $100,234, who is trained by Frank Antonacci and owned by the Lindy Farms of Conn.
Fox Valley Snaffle (Tetrick driving for trainer Tony Mondi and owner Lon Frocione) and Major Stone (Howard Okusko, Jr. steering for his wife, trainer Jessica Okusko, and Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stable) finished in a 1:54.2 dead-heat for win in Saturday’s $10,000 Open Handicap Pace.
In addition to Tetrick’s four-bagger, the Okuskos also achieved a pair of wins during Saturday’s 10-race program.
The Downs will complete its 56th campaign with 6:55 p.m. programs on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7.
(Vernon Downs)