by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows

Meadow Lands, PA — Lindy Five Hundred scored the fastest win and Vivid Photo stretched his unbeaten streak to four in divisions of the Hickory Pride, a $126,416 Pennsylvania Sires Stakes for two-year old colt and gelding trotters on Tuesday night at The Meadows.

Sugar Ray Kosmos and My Tech captured the other two splits, which featured frequent breaks by many green trotters.

Chris Gooden Photo

Lindy Five Hundred won the fastest Pennsylvania Sires Stakes division.

Lindy Five Hundred, a son of Lindy Lane, finished second in his most recent outing, the Harriman Cup at the Meadowlands, so driver Ray Schnittker knew that his horse might have an edge in talent and experience. He sent Lindy Five Hundred to the lead, opened up by as much as six lengths and settled for a four and a half length victory in 1:59². The stake record, 1:58³, was established by CR Commando and Carl Allen in 1998.

“He was pretty impressive. He’s a nice colt,” Schnittker said. “I don’t think he’s a world champ, but he does everything right. Driving him is like driving a four-year-old. I don’t know if he can beat the top ones, but he’ll go with them. We’re in the ballpark anyway.”

Up Front Prince closed well to be second, with Keystone Bender a distant third. Jones For President Stable, KR Breeding, Seal Stable and Ed Pachuta own Lindy Five Hundred, a $62,500 yearling acquisition trained by Paul Doherty.

Chris Gooden Photo

Vivid Photo remained unbeaten in four career starts with a victory on Tuesday.

Vivid Photo, who had won his first three starts at Rosecroft Raceway and the Pennsylvania fairs, made it 4-for-4 with an impressive mile highlighted by a strong quarter-pole move for trainer/driver Roger Hammer, who co-owns the S J’s Photo colt with Todd Schadel. The time was 2:03, with the last half in 1:00³. Lindon Fog, who was used several times in the race, finished second by two and a quarter lengths, with Green Dot another quarter length back.

“He has a little habit of running in on the turns and I’m not sure why,” Hammer said. “Once he corrects that, he’ll be a good colt. He doesn’t need a trip. With his lung capacity, he can go a long way out in the center of the track. He has high speed that he hasn’t found yet.”

In the other splits, any horse that stayed flat earned a big check, as the inexperienced young trotters performed as inexperienced young trotters will.

Chris Gooden Photo

Sugar Ray Kosmos avoided the breakers and won his Sires Stakes split.

Sugar Ray Kosmos trotted in 2:02³ for Mike Wilder but didn’t need to; every other horse in the field broke stride at least once.

“It made my job a lot easier,” Wilder said. “He was under no urging as it was, but I never really had to ask him for trot.”

Trainer Terry Altmeyer, who co-owns the S J’s Photo colt with William E. Altmeyer Sr., bought the horse for $5,500 as a yearling and has seen his inexpensive acquisition win three of his first four starts.

“I never even looked at him before he walked into the sales ring,” Terry Altmeyer said. “But he wasn’t bringing any money and I liked his pedigree, so I bought him. He can go a lot. He’s gone faster in training miles than he went tonight. He stays at it and tries hard. He has a stake just about every week. He’ll be busy this summer.”

Softail recovered from his early break to finish second by 11 and a quarter lengths, with Driven Sakra well back in third.

Chris Gooden Photo

My Tech won his career debut for driver Dave Palone.

My Tech and Dave Palone had it nearly as easy — all their competitors but one made breaks. The home-bred son of High Tech scored in 2:04 in his career debut, three and a half lengths ahead of Stirling Bridge. Trotting Man was fourth but placed up to third, a full 22 lengths behind the winner.

“He’s a better colt than it looked,” Palone said. “I guess it was kind of a train wreck behind me. I never really felt anybody the whole mile, and that’s why I shut him down late. There was no reason to go any faster. I didn’t want to make a mistake and blow the winner’s share for the owner.”

John Ducharme trains and owns My Tech.

Zendt injured

Veteran trainer/driver Bill Zendt was injured in the 12th race when his trotter, Sweet Deal Hanover, hooked wheels with another horse and spun Zendt from the bike.

Zendt experienced shoulder pain and was transported to a local hospital for examination and treatment.