Freshmen hope to graduate Kindergarten Saturday

 

Leading the way for a field of seven in the 2-year-old colt and gelding pace is world champion 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 favorite. Tim Tetrick will be back in the bike behind the 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. Entrymate Fulfilled, who is a half brother to pacing superstar Ponder, has won two legs of the Kindergarten Classic for Ford and Roger Hammer, who own the 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 conditions the winner of more than $197,000, will be in the sulky. The 2-year-old daughter of Four Starzzzz Shark-So Western captured the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final on Sept. 29 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 favorite.

 

In the $82,750 final for 2-year-old trotting fillies, Full Tank will look for her fifth win of the season with Andrew McCarthy in the sulky. The daughter of Muscles Yankee-Arenal is trained by Robert Bencal for Little E LLC 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)