by Nick Salvi, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — The fifth and last preliminary leg of the Kindergarten Classic series will be raced at Vernon Downs on Thursday (Oct. 26).

One division for each sex and gait filled and will race for a purse of $10,000 each as races seven-10 on the Thursday card.

Trotting colts launch the Kindergarten portion of the program in the seventh led by Farsetti Hanover (post four) who has raced in all of the legs and is currently the division’s point leader for the training/driving team of Erv and Marcus Miller. The Donato Hanover colt is but a few dollars shy of the $100,000 mark in earnings for the partnership of Erv Miller Stable, George Golemes and David Prushnok.

Filly trotters are up in the eighth where a field of ten (reduced to six betting interests due to entry coupling) will compete for not just purse money but valuable points toward a berth in the rich finals. Locally based owner Ken Jacobs has a pair of nice Chapter Seven fillies racing for trainer Linda Toscano led by Bluegrass stakes winner Sevenbuyeleven (post five, Tim Tetrick) who is making her Kindergarten debut. The formula is fairly complicated, but if everything goes exactly right Sevenbuyeleven can still race her way into the final with a good performance on Thursday.

Points North is in the colt pace and he is the point leader for that division, having compiled a pair of wins in the September legs at The Meadowlands for owner Pinske Stable and trainer Nifty Norman. Points North also added a Grand Circuit Bluegrass Stakes win to his list of accomplishments at The Red Mile last month. Andy McCarthy has the drive from post four.

Filly pacers wrap up the evening led by I’m Trigger Happy who swept The Meadowlands Kindergarten legs impressively. She’s won three of four starts for owner Let It Ride Stables and trainer Ross Croghan and begins from post eight for Corey Callahan.

The $150,000 (est.) finals and consolation races for the Kindergarten will be raced at The Meadowlands on Saturday (Nov. 4). Both the current points standings and conditions are available on the web.

Post time at Vernon is 6:45 p.m.