Trainer Tony Alagna was on target at the Meadowlands Friday night, scoring three times in the second leg of the Kindergarten Classic series for two-year-olds.
Ramona Hill got things going for Alagna in the second race filly trot. The daughter of Muscle Hill-Lock Down Lindy led at every call on the way to an easy score by 4-3/4 lengths over Jula Beauty AM in 1:54.1, giving her two wins in as many Kindergarten – and lifetime – starts. Andy McCarthy was in the sulky behind the 1-9 favourite.
In the very next race, 22-1 longshot Captain Kirk sat a three-hole trip before bursting through between rivals late to record a nose win over 3-5 shot Captain Nemo – who is also trained by Alagna – in a division for pacing colts and geldings. Captain Kirk, a son of Captaintreacherous-Aria Hanover who was driven by Yannick Gingras, completed the mile in 1:51.2 in winning his first career race in two tries.
Alagna would have to wait until the 14th and final race on the program to complete his three-bagger, as his Chief Mate scored in 1:51.1 in another colts and geldings pace. The 2-5 public choice, who is a son of Captaintreacherous-Heaven Forbid, held on by a nose over a fast-closing Bombshell Hanover. Like Ramona Hill, Chief Mate has now made both of his lifetime starts in the Kindergarten and won them both.
Due to the anticipated extreme high heat, Saturday’s 13-race program will begin at 8 p.m.
(Meadowlands)