by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Russell Hill and Honorable Daughter earned championship honors in Monday afternoon’s (May 25) Empire Breeders Classic finals for 3-year-old trotters at Vernon Downs.

Russell Hill scored in 1:57.1 in the Empire Breeders Classic 3-year-old colt trot.

The second wagering choice ($6.90), Russell Hill snapped the eight-race winning streak of favorite Donttellmywife with a 1:57.1 triumph in Monday’s seventh race, the $206,275 colt and gelding division, while favored Honorable Daughter ($2.40) prevailed with an impressive 1:57 victory in the afternoon’s $212,875 eighth event, the filly flight.

Noted catch-driver Jim Morrill, Jr. steered both EBC winners. He guided Russell Hill to a front-striding, three-quarter length decision over Donttellmywife. Calchips Brute finished third. It was the second win in four season’s starts for the bay son of Conway Hall-Southwind Maywood, who is trained by Jimmy Takter for Canadian owners Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband. It marked the third lifetime tally for the career winner of $176,367.

Fotowon photos

Honorable Daughter captured the Empire Breeders Classic for sophomore trotting fillies in 1:57.

Honorable Daughter, trained by Larry Remmen for owners Paolo Rosanelli and John Siena, worked her way to the front nearing the three-quarter mark and then drew off for a 3-1/2 length score over Porque. Matchplay Volo finished third. It was the second straight season’s score and 11th tally in 13 starts for the bay daughter of Malabar Man-Honorable Mother, who hiked her lifetime bankroll to $948,242.

The crowd of 1,527 witnessed the meeting’s swiftest mile, a 1:52.3 triumph by the Betty Tauber-owned pacer Victory Streak (Ken Holliday driving for trainer Sherri Holliday) in the day’s $6,000 sixth session.

With Takter handling the lines for Falkbolagen Ab of Sweden, Lantern Kronos cruised to a five length verdict in Monday’s $9,000 third test, the week’s Open Trot, and lowered the track’s current speed standard for diagonally-gaited performers to 1:55.2.

Ideal Michael, owned, trained and driven by Ray Schnittker, led throughout the $9,000 fourth race, the Open Handicap Pace, and recorded a 1:53.1 victory, which at that point in the day tied the fastest mile in 16 current Vernon programs.

With Ruel “Dude” Goodblood, Jr. driving for trainer Paul Kelley and owners William J. Donovan and Linwood Higgins, Chocolate Art was declared the winner of the day’s $9,000 first race, the weekly feature for female pacers.