Vernon Downs hosted the Empire Breeders Classic (EBC) for three-year-old trotters on Friday, June 13, with two divisions for the colts and a pair for the fillies, each worth approximately $120,000.
The favoured Marcus Melander trainees finished 1-2 in the first $119,521 EBC male trot, with Super Chapter ($2.80) leading the way across the wire nearly two lengths ahead of his O'Brien Award-winning and season-debuting stablemate Maryland.
Driven by Scott Zeron, Super Chapter led to the quarter in :26.4 then slowed things down to the half in : 56.1. Maryland (Dexter Dunn), a winner of more than $1.67 million last year, chased first-over going around the final turn while Super Chapter trotted on top to three-quarters in 1:24.3. Super Chapter switched into another gear and flew down the stretch with an impressive :26.1 last quarter to win in a sparkling lifetime best of 1:50.4, just one-fifth of a second off the all-age trotting track record. Maryland had to settle for second while pocket-sitter Hard Seven (Todd McCarthy) finished more than four lengths back in third.
Super Chapter, a colt by Chapter Seven out of the Hambletonian Oaks-winning mare Lifetime Pursuit, is owned by Jeff Snyder of New York City, New York. and Arthur Pronti of Jersey City, New Jersey. A New York Sire Stakes winner in his season's debut on May 26 at Vernon, he is now two-for-two as a sophomore after earning more than $715,000 as a freshman with a 5-3-1 record from 11 starts that included the Kentucky Sires Stakes championship.
Chat Room ($27.80) pulled off a 12-1 upset in the second $121,233 male trot with Tyler Buter driving for trainer John Butenschoen.
Chat Room was first to the quarter in :28 but favourite Variegated (Dexter Dunn) took over the lead going down the backstretch and hit the half in :56. BJMs Lil Man (Matt Kakaley) went first-up to challenge going around the final turn but Variegated turned him away past three-quarters in 1:24.4. Meanwhile, Chat Room waited patiently in the two-hole until they reached the stretch then popped the pocket and blew right on by, equalling his lifetime best of 1:52.3. Variegated held on for second over Monserate (David Miller) 1-1/4 lengths behind the upset winner.
Chat Room is owned by James Crawford of Erieville, New York, Charles Rowe of Port Murray, New Jersey, David J. Miller of Lake Mary, Florida and Lawrence Means of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Now two-for-three this year, the Chapter Seven-Fatima Blush gelding was a three-time winner and earned more than $215,000 during his 10-race freshman season.
Chat Room gave John Butenschoen an EBC training double following up on a victory earlier in a $120,205 filly division by Pink Bomb ($8.70).
After Chapvious (Jason Bartlett) led to the first quarter in :28, catch-driver Dexter Dunn made his move with Pink Bomb from the deuce down the backside and was first to the half in :57.2. Sonmar Pond (Brett Beckwith) tipped out of third going around the final turn but did not improve as Pink Bomb continued on top to three-quarters in 1:26.3. As the fillies made the turn for home, favourite My Debt Collecter (Tyler Buter) came flying late but was too late as Pink Bomb won in a lifetime best of 1:54.1 by three-quarters of a length over that filly. Chapvious was third best.
Pink Bomb is owned by breeder Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, New York along with Heather Marshall of Durhamville, New York. The Chapter Seven-Go Go Dancer filly won her only start as a two-year-old and is now four-for-six in her sophomore season, with career earnings approaching $170,000.
Dexter Dunn completed a sweep of the EBC filly events with the Lucas Wallin-trained El Nightwish ($6.70) winning the second $121,233 split.
Pink Chou Chou (David Miller) took the early lead but favourite Seventh Gen (Jeff Gregory) grabbed control just before getting to the quarter in :27.1. She stole a 30-second breather to the half in :57.1, but then Dunn made the winning move with El Nightwish from third going around the last turn. Seventh Gen had a short lead to three-quarters in 1:25.3 before El Nightwish forged ahead as they entered the stretch and the Chapter Seven-Courtney Hall filly won easily in a lifetime best of 1:52.4. Seventh Gen had to settle for second, three lengths back, while longshot Devious Babe (Tyler Miller) finished third.
A homebred for Emp Invest Oy of Lahti, Finland, El Nightwish was third in her first and only start as a rookie last November and is undefeated in four sophomore starts, stepping up in competition from the New York Excelsior Series.
Two $80,958 divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings added to Friday's stakes action with favourites American Son and Courts On Fire each posting 1:50 winning miles.
Another stakes winner driven by Dexter Dunn, American Son ($2.30) took the lead just before the half and won easily in by 1-1/4 lengths over Red Blooded (Tyler Buter) with Holt Hanover (Mark MacDonald) third best. Chris Ryder trains the American Ideal-Lady Captain colt for owner Henderson Farms of Chicago, Illinois.
Last year's NYSS divisional champion Courts On Fire ($4.30) and driver Brett Beckwith took the early lead but then followed Thirsty Thursday (Tyler Buter) all around the track until retaking control in the stretch for a lifetime-best victory by 1-3/4 lengths. Dune Buggy (Jason Bartlett) out-finished Thirsty Thursday for the runner-up honours. Trainer Blake MacIntosh shares ownership of Courts On Fire, a son of Courtly Choice out of Ashlees Spitfire, with Hutt Racing Stable of Malvern, Pennsylvania, Tim Klemencic of Trenton, Ont., and Daniel Plouffe of Bromont, Que.
Driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Travis Alexander teamed up to win a pair of $27,397 Excelsior Series divisions in the undercard with Silky Choice in 1:51.1 and Ima Perfect Choice in 1:51.2. The other divisions were won by Digging For Gold (Brett Beckwith) in 1:52 for trainer George Ducharme and Xpert (Scott Zeron) in 1:52 for the Pat Lachance stable.
Live harness racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday, June 13, with post time at 5:05 p.m.
(With files from Vernon Downs)