Vernon, NY - New
York's finest three year old trotters will compete for nearly $500,000 in the
Empire Breeders Classic finals at Vernon Downs on Sunday evening.
The
filly final, for a purse of $237,600, goes as race six on the card. Returning
elimination winners Perfect Alliance and Wygant Lady, both daughters of the
prolific sire Credit Winner, will begin from posts three and four
respectively, chosen by their connections as a perk for their elimination wins.
Perfect
Alliance led at every call in last week's race, lowering her record to
1:55.2 in the process for driver Yannick Gingras. Gingras returns the
mount for Sunday's race to Ron Pierce, who was listed last week but unable
to drive due to a racing accident the night before at The Meadowlands.
Perfect
Alliance races for four now, as principal owner Jeff Gural (Little E,
LLC) has taken on Jason Settlemoir, Dave Stolz and Art Geiger as partners in
the filly since her win last week. Bob Bencal is the trainer.
Wygant
Lady has won half of her eight starts this year for trainer Taylor Gower who
shares ownership of the filly with her breeder, Alan Stull. She reduced her
speed record considerably in last week's race, seizing the win with a furious
late rally to score in 1:56.2 for Cat Manzi. Cat is back aboard for the final.
The
colts will race for $259,900 in their final and it is a deep, competitive
group.
Tirade
Hanover scored in the faster elimination win, turning a perfect Vic Kirby drive
into a 1:53.1 lifetime best in his first start of the season. He'll begin from
post three, chosen for him by trainer Tyler Raymer and owners Leigh Raymer,
Stephen Moss, Harold and Helane Solomon. The Crazed gelding edged past the
$200,000 mark in career earnings with last week's win, his eighth in a dozen
starts.
Jurgen
Hanover, lightly raced at two, has been at it for awhile this season boasting a
perfect six for six record as a sophomore. After sweeping the Weiss
series at Pocono, Jurgen set all the fractions in his EBC
elimination to win in 1:54.1 and will start just outside his main
rival for driver David Miller. Donna Marshall trains the Credit Winner
colt for Norm and Gerald Smiley and the TLP Stable.
Post
time on Sunday is 6:45pm and the supporting card includes nine divisions of New
York Excelsior races for sophomore trotting fillies and colts. Check the Vernon
Downs website for
more information.
