Vernon, N.Y. -- Following a pair of victorious qualifiers at
the Meadowlands, Kenneth Jacobs's Walner ($2.80) made his pari-mutuel debut a
winning one, vaulting clear off a second-over trip in his $38,000 New York Sire
Stakes event for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Thursday (July 21)
evening at Vernon Downs.
Tim Tetrick floated forward with the son of Chapter Seven
and Random Destiny from the outset, but was parked through the initial stages
at Meetmeinthemiddle (Jeff Gregory) worked clear from post 9 in a :28.4 first
quarter before ultimately yielding to both Top Flight Angel (John Cummings,
Jr.) and Money MacIntosh (Andy Miller). Meetmeinthemiddle re-emerged to push
the pace after a :59 half mile, and Walner latched onto second-over cover
through the far turn. While Money MacIntosh dug in to stave off
Meetmeinthemiddle, Walner got the jump on them both, vaulting off dueling
leaders in upper stretch and powering clear by 4-1/4 lengths to a sparkling
1:55.4 victory for trainer Linda Toscano.
Two other New York Sire Stakes divisions were part of the
12-race card at the Miracle Mile, with Stick With Me Kid ($16.00) and Such an
Angel ($6.00) both proving victorious via extended first-over bids.
Stick With Me Kid made his move on the far turn, wearing
down Optimist Blue Chip (Jim Morrill, Jr.) and subsequently holding off late
charges from the second-over Annapolis Hall (Ray Schnittker) and odds-on
favorite Devious Man (Andy Miller), who shook free from the pocket to give
chase. Chris Lems drove Stick With Me Kid, a son of Deweycheatumnhowe and
Chelsea Hall, to a 1:56.2 triumph for trainer George Ducharme.
Such an Angel used similar tactics in his 1:56.1 victory,
but commenced his bid a fair bit earlier to overcome a midpack dispatch. John
Campbell started to progress with the son of Credit Winner and Michelle's Angel
just before the completion of a :58.2 half mile, and the Paul Kelley trainee
maintained steady progress all the way to a mid-stretch lead over favored
pacesetter Barn Winner (Jeff Gregory). Such an Angel dug in stoutly to hold off
a late bid from Patton (Lems), who slipstreamed the eventual winner off the far
turn.
Racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday (July 22) evening,
with post time at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.
