Long Island Tea picked up a victory in the $8,000 featured Open Trot at Vernon Downs on Saturday night. While the favourite may have made it to the winner's circle, she did not have an easy time of it at all.
Naughty Not Nice led through the bulk of the mile for driver/trainer Rick Plano and set fairly comfortable fractions of :27.1 for the quarter, :56.2 for the half, and 1:24.2 for three-quarters. Long Island Tea sat the pocket trip and was actually pinned in by Client Nine, who made a first-over move on the turn. However, Client Nine's charge faded, and when that happened, Long Island Tea was guided out by driver Chris Lems and eventually wore down Naughty Not Nice to win by three-quarters of a length in a final time of 1:53.4.
Long Island Tea is owned by Steve Stewart of Paris, Kentucky and Kelley Racing Stable LLC of Gansevoort, New York. Paul Kelley is the trainer.
The complete order of finish for the featured fourth race was Long Island Tea, Naughty Not Nice, Painite, Client Nine, Master Builder, Pegasus Point, and Mc Tinys Hope.
Long Island Tea was one of four winners for Lems on the Saturday program. He won the first race with Ziegler Hanover, the fifth race with Lindys Real Deal, and the ninth race with Suzies Little Vic in addition to the score with Long Island Tea. Ziegler Hanover and Long Island Tea were sent off as race favourites while Lindys Real Deal won as a 4-1 second choice and Suzies Little Vic was a nice value play at 7-1.
The draws for the Empire Breeders' Classic finals were also held on Saturday at Vernon Downs. The winners of the eliminations from Friday were able to select their own post positions for the finals.
In the three-year-old fillies final, Avalicious will be in post four as part of a Leigh Raymer-trained entry with Winning Pursuit. Crediama won the other elimination and her connections selected post two. The complete post position draw from inside-out for the three-year-old fillies final is: Glowngold, Crediama, Annies List, Avalicious, Beauty Of Gray, Driving Miss Crazy, Winning Pursuit, Cut Up Hanover, and Slice Slice Baby. Lady With Credit is the first Also Eligible and Maud Blue Chip is the second.
In the three-year-old colts final, the connections of Karets selected post position number three and Expressive Action will be right alongside in post number four. The complete post position draw for the three-year-old colts final from inside-out is: Daley Lovin, Hallenet, Karets, Expressive Action, Cash For Gold, Cashamattic, Rocky De Vie, Wild And Crazy Guy, and Crazzycrazzy. As in the fillies dinal, there are two Also Eligibles. Mister Bs Way is the first and Elegante Attire is the second. Mister Bs Way suffered an unfortunate break right near the end of his elimination and was disqualified from fourth to fifth, costing him an automatic berth in the final.
The Empire Breeders Classic finals will be part of a special Sunday night program at Vernon Downs on June 8. First post that night will be 6:45 p.m.
There will be also be a nine-race Sunday program at Vernon Downs tomorrow. First post time will be 6:45 p.m. as well.
(With files from Vernon Downs)