from Vernon Downs
Vernon, NY — The rich finals of the Empire Breeders Classic, a New York sired event for 3-year-old trotters, will be raced as a part of the Father’s Day card on Sunday (June 18) at Vernon Downs.
Ten fillies will compete in the first of the pair of finals (race eight) for a purse of $228,250 with Barn Bella the obvious choice despite the disadvantage of starting from the far outside post nine.
The Conway Hall-Bravissima lass has won 10 straight races including the New York Sires Stakes final at two dating back to last August for owner-trainer Floyd Pratt and partner Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stables. Barn Bella has handled older open trotters on two occasions and won the first NYSS of the season while preparing for the EBC and beyond. Jeff Gregory will drive.
The $252,000 EBC colt final is the ninth race and promises to be a far more contentious affair. Devious Man (post five) is the defending NYSS champ and is off to a great start on his sophomore campaign for the husband-wife team of driver Andy and trainer Julie Miller. The son of Credit Winner-Miss Garland has won both 2017 starts including last week’s EBC elimination in 1:53.4 after a freshman campaign that saw him earn more than $300,000 including a Grand Circuit win at Red Mile. He is owned by Stroy Inc. and the Andy Miller Stable.
Competition comes directly from the left as Bill’s Man (Corey Callahan), who took the other EBC elimination in 1:53, starts from post four. He’s a very well bred colt (Credit Winner-Silver Springs) on the improve for trainer John Butenschoen and owners William Wiswall and M & L of Delaware.
Lord Cromwell (post nine) already has a Grand Circuit score on his sophomore card with a convincing win in last month’s Dexter Cup. He was third in the Devious Man elim but has drawn poorly in the final for Hall of Fame driver John Campbell and Eddie Hart who trains the homebred son of Chapter Seven-Oh Oh Its Magic for Carolyn Atherton.
Such An Angel was an impressive second to Bill’s Man in his elimination, closing from well back for driver Mark MacDonald. He was the NYSS division leader for much of the 2016 season and appears to be finding his best form again for trainer Paul Kelley who conditions the Credit Winner-Michelle’s Angel colt for Sam Caruso Jr. and Purple Haze Stables.
Swell Chap (Chapter Seven-Gia, post seven) was the other second place finisher and has matured nicely from age two to three for trainer Todd Rooney. His two most recent starts are his best with a close second to the highly regarded colt Enterprise in a sires stake preceding last week’s finish. Tim Tetrick has been enlisted for the drive on Sunday for owners Foge McKeever and Eldon Thompson.
The Empire Breeders Classic is funded in part by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund and NY Harness Horse Breeders along with Vernon and Tioga Downs.
The supporting card is largely comprised of the NYSS for sophomore colt pacers which only increases the quality of the presentation.
Post time for the Sunday matinee is 1:05 p.m.