Headlined by world record holder One More Laugh, Vernon Downs is set to host the four Kindergarten Classic Finals on Saturday night with more than
$358,000 on the line.
Leading the way for a field of seven in the two-year old colt and gelding pace is One More Laugh from the Ray Schnittker stable. Despite only his third loss of the season last week in the final leg to Eagle Jolt, the entry of One More Laugh and Matt Guitar Murphy have been given the nod as the 8-5 morning line favourite. Tim Tetrick will be back in the bike behind the 2-year old son of Mcardle-Fancy Creek Funny for the Meinzinger, Silva, and Schnittker partnership.
Looking for back to back upsets is Eagle Jolt and Jack Rice who come into the event as part of an entry from the Mark Ford Stable. Eagle Jolt and Rice cut the mile last week at Vernon Downs and held off the pocket sitting One More Laugh through a final panel of 28.3. Entry mate Fulfilled, who is a half-brother to harness racing superstar Ponder, has won two legs of the Kindergarten Classic for Mark Ford and Roger Hammer who own the 2-year old son of Western Hanover-Empty Feeling.
Freshman pacing filly Dancinwiththestarz will look to remain undefeated in the Kindergarten series in the $105,250 final on Saturday night. John Stark Jr. who also conditions the winner of more than $197,000 will be in the sulky. The two-year old daughter of Four Starzzzz Shark-So Western captured the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Final on September 29th in a lifetime best of 1:52.4. She will leave from post position three in Saturday night’s sixth event as the 6-5 morning line favourite.
In the $82,750 final for two-year old trotting fillies, Full Tank will look for her fifth win of the season with Andrew McCarthy in the sulky. The two-year old daughter of Muscles Yankee-Arenal is trained by Robert Bencal for Little E LLC of New York, New York and is a career winner of more than $74,000. Full Tank won in her last outing at Vernon Downs by a neck over Springtime Volo in 1:58.
(Vernon Downs)