Vernon Downs played host to eight $27,778 Big Apple eliminations for all classes of two-year-olds on Saturday, Oct. 4.
New York Sire Stakes champion Fragment ($2.10) brushed and crushed to win first elimination for male pacers. Quickaway (Matt Kakaley) set all the fractions with Fragment sitting fourth through three-quarters for Jason Bartlett, but Fragment blew by the pacesetter in the stretch to win in a a lifetime-best of 1:51.1. Lakewood Nick (Brett Beckwith) was second, followed by Quickaway and American Pastime (Braxten Boyd). Ghost Hunt (Mark MacDonald) finished fifth and will be in a random draw to qualify for the final. Per Engblom trains the winner, a Huntsville-The Show Returns colt, for owners Engblom Stable LLC, Douglas Sipple, and Peaceful Acre Farm.
In the second split, Hunting Glory ($2.80) was fourth to three-quarters for Jordan Stratton, but he zipped to the front with an eighth of a mile to go and won in 1:53. Southwind Iron (Jason Bartlett), River Ranch Dawson (Tyler Buter), Mighty Matt (Boyd), and Knoxville (MacDonald) completed the top five. Hunting Glory, a son of Huntsville-Southwind Prima, is owned by Royal Wire Products Inc. and trained by Robert Cleary.
Long Shore ($6.98) charged late from the three-hole to nip Hunting Memories (Stratton) to win the first pacing filly elimination in a career-best 1:51.2. Hunting Memories was second, followed by Existential (Kakaley), Party Pumps (Buter), and Odds On Enigma (Jim Marohn Jr.). Jason Bartlett drove Long Shore, an American Ideal-Butchie Beach filly, for trainer Joe Pavia Jr. and owners Vince Ferriero Jr., Dominic Pavia, Eric Prevost, and Lon Frocione.
Odds On Monetary ($11) went gate-to-wire under the guidance of Ridge Warren to win the second elimination in a new mark of 1:51.4. Ideal Beauty Queen (Boyd), Liberty Style (Bartlett), Teton Beauty (Kakaley), and American Cheese (Buter) were the rest of the top five. Odds On Monetary, a daughter of Huntsville-All On Top Hanover, is owned by Odds On Racing and trained by Travis Alexander.
Twin B Seven Sins ($22.10) popped the pocket approaching three-quarters and won the stretch drive over place finisher Spencer Hanover (Bartlett) to take the first colt trot elimination in a career-best 1:55.4. Ai (Brett Beckwith) was third, followed by Elred (Leon Bailey) and Severian (Mark MacDonald). Twin B Seven Sins, a colt by Chapter Seven-Affair Hall, was piloted by Buter for trainer Noel Daley and owners Patricia Stable, Caviart Farms, Allister Stables LLC, and L.A. Express Stable LLC.
Read The Room ($20.52), in line to Dylan Huckabone-Miller, took the second elimination in 1:54.4, a new mark. He was followed home by Titans Mischief (Kakaley), Sir Devious Knight (Boyd), Rubens (Dan Daley), and Whos Eyes Blues (Bartlett). The Ake Svanstedt-trained Read The Room, a son of Chapter Seven-Debra Hall, races for owners Little E LLC, B. Nasstrom Holding Inc., Nils Munkhaugen, and Ake Svanstedt Inc.
Nezuko Kamado S ($2.28) breezed to an easy win in first elimination for trotting fillies, stopping the clock in 1:55 for Bartlett. Trinitys Diamond (Todd Ratchford) and Ill Have The Red (Rick Zeron) dead-heated for second, with Aviatrix Blue Chip (Buter) fourth and Seven Winds (Huckabone-Miller) fifth. Nezuko Kamado S, a Chapter Seven-Zefira Kronos It filly, is owned by Courant Inc. and trained by Marcus Melander.
Storybook Love ($10.74) flew from fourth to capture the second elimination in 1:54.4, taking a new mark for trainer Matt Bax and owners Al Libfeld and Brad Grant. Todd Ratchford drove the daughter of Chapter Seven-Stirling Debutant. Flying Copper (Bartlett) was second, B Eyelash (Warren) finished third, Sharp Seven (Kakaley) completed the superfecta, and R Ro (Beckwith) finished fifth.
The finals of the Big Apple, worth $250,000(est.) USD each, will be contested on Oct. 11 at Vernon.
The next card at Vernon Downs is set for Friday, Oct. 10 with a post time of 5:05 p.m.
(With files from Vernon Downs; photo of Odds On Monetary winning on Oct. 4)