by Dustin Ross, Regional Racing Operations Manager, Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Nine freshman trotting colts and nine freshman trotting fillies will look to add a serious chunk of change to their 2011 bankrolls on Friday night (Oct. 28) at Vernon Downs in the Kindergarten Classic Finals.

Andy and Julie Miller will send out a pair of trotting colts in the $200,500 Kindergarten Classic Final for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters with Southwind Austin and Vic Smith. Both freshman trotters have already banked more than $100,000 and have combined for 10 victories on the year.

Andy Miller will drive Vic Smith, who has been no worse than third in eight seasonal starts this year for the Andy Miller Stable and Baron Racing. Steve Smith will drive the other Julie Miller entry, Southwind Austin, who has never been off the board in ten starts. The entry has been listed as the 9-5 morning line favorite for race number five and will go head-to-head with Lindy Racing Stable and Adam Victor & Son Stable’s three-horse entry.

In the $182,500 final for 2-year-old trotting fillies, Maven has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite despite drawing post position nine. Jonas Czernyson trains the daughter of Glidemaster–M Stewart for W. J. Donovan. She has piled up seven wins in 10 seasonal outings, good for more than $140,000 in earnings. Her main pilot this season has been Yannick Gingras, who will make the trip to Vernon to guide the filly in race number seven.

Here are the fields for the Kindergarten Classic Finals:

$200,500 Kindergarten Classic Final – 2CT
HN-Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-1-Gym Tan Laundry-Brian Sears-Noel Daley
1A-7-World Cup-Frank Antonacci-Frank Antonacci
1B-8-Blazed-Tim Tetrick-Frank Antonacci
2-3-Southwind Austin-Steve Smith-Julie Miller
2A-6-Vic Smith-Andy Miller-Julie Miller
3-2-Catman Dude-Chris Lems-Larry Rathbone
4-4-Kingapore-Ray Schnittker-Ray Schnittker
5-5-A Penny Earned-Jim Morrill, Jr.-George Ducharme
6-9-Highland Yankee-Frank Milby-Bruce Saunders

$182,500 Kindergarten Classic Final – 2FT
Post-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-All In The Muscles-Andy Miller-Julie Miller
2-Pretend To Be Nice-Jack Rice-Kimberlie Miller
3-American Saint-Rick Plano-Charlie Norris
4-Can’t Have My Moni-Tim Tetrick-Frank Antonacci
5-Lady Andi-Brian Sears-Larry Rathbone
6-Aldebaran Malibu-Frank Milby-Jonas Czernyson
7-Sterling Volo-Jan Johnson-Jan Johnson
8-Bridge The Way-Wim Paal-Henrik Lundell
9-Maven-Yannick Gingras-Jonas Czernyson

Vernon Downs kicks off its three-day race weekend on Thursday night, followed by live racing on Friday and Saturday, all with a post time of 6:55 p.m. For more information on Vernon Downs, visit www.vernondowns.com.