Nick Salvi for Vernon Downs.
Vernon, NY - New York's
finest 3-year-old trotters will converge on Vernon Downs this Friday afternoon
to contest the Empire Breeders Classic (EBC), sponsored by the The Agriculture
& New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund, NY Stallion Owners, Tioga
Downs & Vernon Downs.
Seven daughters of the
state's leading sire of trotters, Chapter Seven, will face the starting gate in
race 5 for a purse of $187,500.
Joviality S has been
superb throughout her career with victories in the New York Sires Stakes (NYSS)
final, Breeders Crown final and Goldsmith Maid last year at two resulting in
earnings just shy of $900,000 for the interests of Anders Strom via his nom de
course of Courant, Incorporated.
She has come back
powerfully at age 3, with a pair of NYSS wins including a shockingly easy
career best of 1:51.2 in her last over the Vernon oval on May 30. Brian Sears
returns to the scene of his early lessons to drive Joviality S from post
position five for trainer Marcus Melander.
The competition is led
by Crawford Farms' accomplished Valentina Blu, who consistently brings her
"A" game and has earned over a third of a million dollars in her
young career for trainer Tony Alagna. Andy McCarthy plots her course from
post seven.
The EBC colts number
eight and will come along in race 7 for an identical amount of $187,500.
Branded By Lindy
(Yannick Gingras) currently sits atop the "Road to the Hambletonian" poll
and has had one over the course with a 1:54.1 win last week in what was his
first start of the season. He is the fastest of the field with a record of 1:52
taken at The Red Mile last fall for trainer Domenico Cecere. Lindy Farms bred
and owns the precocious Chapter Seven colt who carries the Antonacci family's
hopes for another Hambo win.
Slay (Alagna/ Tim
Tetrick), Justice (Ake Svanstedt) and Cool Papa Bell (Sears/Jim Campbell) will
present legitimate competition for the EBC hardware.
NYSS 3-year-old filly
pacers are on the undercard and racing gets underway with the matinee post time
of 12:15 on Friday.
