Kindergarten graduates at Vernon

Eagle Jolt, Dancinwiththestarz, Full Tank and Coco Lindy were final preliminary round winners in $10,000 segments of Saturday night’s Kindergarten Classic Series for 2-year-olds at Vernon Downs.

Competing over a track labeled “good,” Eagle Jolt held off a late charge by the world champion One More Laugh during a front-striding, 1:54.2 showing in Saturday’s colt and gelding pace; Dancinwiththestarz continued her winning ways with a convincing 1:55 victory in the filly pace; Full Tank earned a neck decision over Springtime Volt at the finish of a 1:58 performance in the filly trot; while Coco Lindy collected his third win at the meet with a 1:59.2 effort in the colt and gelding trot.

Eagle Jolt’s ($47.40) neck verdict over One More Laugh was his second score in nine starts, and it raised his earnings to $13,865 for the Frank Dettore Horse Racing stable. Jack Rice did the catch-driving for trainer Mark Ford as the bay son of Village Jolt--Jazzy Jam recorded the fastest mile by a freshman gelding at the meet, and missed the all-time track standard for this class by one tick of the timer.

Dancinwiththestarz ($2.40) extended her winning streak to four and posted her eighth tally in 11 tries with a three-length decision over Hugs Again. Trainer John Stark, Jr. steered the bay daughter of Four Starzzz Shark--So Western cautiously through an overland journey that put her in the lead entering the final furlong, and she breezed home from there. Shannon Brott and the W. Springtime Racing Stable own the winner of $197,085.

With Howard Okusko, Jr. teaming for trainer Robert Bencal, Full Tank ($6.10) rallied in a three-wide move from fourth around the final turn to take command entering the homestretch, and then remained strong at the conclusion of a :29.1 final quarter to secure her second win in a row. The bay daughter of Muscles Yankee--Arenal has earned four scores and $74,074 in eight starts for the Little E LLC stable.

Trainer Frank Antonacci kept Coco Lindy ($3.90) behind Flex The Muscle until deep stretch before urging him on to a thee-quarter length victory over the pacesetter. It marked the fifth score in six starts for the homebred bay son of Cantab Hall--Nutty Butty, who has banked $56,609 for the Lindy Farms of Conn.

Trainer-driver Dan Daley delivered his fourth win of the weekend after guiding Daley Deposit Only ($8.10) to a 1:53.4 triumph in Saturday’s $10,000 Open Handicap pace. The fast-closing effort resulted in a head decision over Major Stone, his fourth local tally and fifth of the campaign. Ann-Mari Daley, Jared Daley Richard Lombardo and Robert Pergament own the 4-year-old son of Artiscape--Sassy Cessiann, who increased her career bankroll to more than $113,099.

Downs Doings: The Kindergarten Classic Series will conclude with four finals here next Saturday night, Oct. 31. (Vernon Downs)

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