Vernon, N.Y. -- Bar Hopping ($2.60, part of entry) and
Flowers N Songs ($18.40) proved victorious in their respective main events of
the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old trotters on Sunday (July 24)
evening at Vernon Downs.
Bar Hopping used an aggressive middle move to seize command
in the $300,000 Zweig main event for colts and geldings, brushing from fifth
and clearing just after a :57 half mile. The son of Muscle Hill would go on to
face pressure from Hititoutofthepark (Corey Callahan) on the far turn, but
edged clear upon straightening for home. Bar Hopping subsequently held sway of
a late bid from pocket rival Milligan's School (Andy Miller) to prevail by
1-1/2 lengths in 1:53.1. Milligan's School narrowly held second from Love
Matters (Brett Miller) and the leveled-off Hititoutofthepark, who shared third
in a dead heat.
Tim Tetrick drove Bar Hopping, now a 3-time winner, for
trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Christina Takter, the Hatfield Stables, Marvin
Katz, and Al Libfeld.
In the $140,000 Zweig event for fillies, Flowers N Songs
vaulted off third-over cover to eclipse 5-4 favorite Womans Will for a 1:53.4
victory. Yannick Gingras settled well off the pace with the Deweycheatumnhowe
filly, floating off the pegs at race's midpoint to stalk cover provided by
Womans Will (Andy Miller) and Fad Finance (Jim Morrill, Jr.). In upper stretch,
Flowers N Songs circled four-wide, finding her best stride at the eighth pole
and slingshotting clear to a 1-3/4 length victory over the aforementioned pair.
Womans Will narrowly held second, while Fad Finance stayed on for third.
Paul Reid trains 7-time winner Flowers N Songs for Robert
Key.
In the consolation divisions for colts and geldings, Sutton
($7.20, Andy Miller, 1:52.4) and Waitlifter K ($7.90, Matt Kakaley, 1:52.3)
captured the winner's shares of the $75,000 and $30,000 events, respectively.
Double Exposure ($3.70, Tetrick, 1:54.4) and Hillosophical ($44.80, David
Miller, 1:53.4) proved victorious in the $35,000 and $15,000 consolation events
for fillies.
No Clouds Bluechip, Dime a Dance prevail in
NYSS
The Zweig night undercard featured a pair of $60,200 New
York Sire Stakes races for 3-year-old pacing fillies, with Roll With Joe
fillies No Clouds Bluechip ($13.20) and Dime a Dance ($4.50) both proving
narrowly victorious.
No Clouds Bluechip yielded to 1-2 favorite Penpal (Pat
Lachance) after a :56.3 half mile, maintaining a clear pocket trip through the
far turn before vacating the pegs at the eighth pole and dueling to a
half-length win in 1:51.3 via a :26.3 last quarter. Scott Zeron drove the
daughter of Roll With Joe and B J's Sunshine for trainer John Berger.
Dime a Dance rallied from farther off the pace in her event,
sustaining strong uncovered gains on the far turn en route to a mid-stretch
lead. Upon collaring Time On My Hands (Jason Bartlett), the daughter of
Roll With Joe and Hat Dance Hanover was forced to stave off a late lunge from
Angels Rockn Pink (Mark MacDonald), who split foes out of the pocket to just
miss by a neck. Dime a Dance and driver Matt Kakaley prevailed in 1:53.3 for
trainer Ron Burke.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Thursday (July 28)
evening; first post is slated for 6:45 p.m. Eastern.
