East Rutherford, NJ — Trainer Tony Alagna was on target at the Meadowlands Friday night (July 20), scoring three times in the second leg of the Kindergarten Classic series for 2-year-olds.

Ramona Hall gave trainer Tony Alagna one of three Kindergarten victories on Friday at The Meadowlands. Lisa Photo.

Ramona Hill got things going for Alagna in the second race filly trot. The daughter of Muscle Hill-Lock Down Lindy led at every call on the way to an easy 4-3/4-length score over Jula Beauty Am in 1:54.1, giving her two wins in as many Kindergarten – and lifetime – starts. Andy McCarthy was in the sulky behind the 1-9 favorite.

In the very next race, 22-1 longshot Captain Kirk sat a three-hole trip before bursting through between rivals late to record a nose win over 3-5 shot Captain Nemo – who is also trained by Alagna – in a division for pacing colts and geldings. Captain Kirk, a son of Captaintreacherous-Aria Hanover who was driven by Yannick Gingras, completed the mile in 1:51.2 in winning his first career race in two tries.

Alagna would have to wait until the 14^th and final race on the program to complete his three-bagger, as his Chief Mate scored in 1:51.1 in another colts and geldings pace. The 2-5 public choice, who is a son of Captaintreacherous-Heaven Forbid, held on by a nose over a fast-closing Bombshell Hanover. Like Ramona Hill, Chief Mate has now made both of his lifetime starts in the Kindergarten and won them both.

SATURDAY POST TIME CHANGE: Due to the anticipated extreme high heat, Saturday’s 13-race program will begin at 8 p.m.

A LITTLE MORE: McCarthy and Dave Miller paced the driver’s colony with three wins apiece, while Gingras and Andy Miller each had a pair. … Trainer Marcus Melander had two winners on the card. … All-source handle on the 14-race program totaled $2,306,944. There have been 57 race dates at the Big M in 2019, and on 56 occasions, the handle has exceeded the $2.3-million mark.