Sophomore trotters headline Zweig Night at Vernon
July 21, 2016,by James Witherite, Vernon Downs racing media
Vernon, NY — Bar Hopping and Trolley, the respective runners-up in a Stanley Dancer division and Earl Beal Memorial final, are set to square off in the $300,000 main event of Sunday (July 24) evening’s Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial at Vernon Downs.
Bar Hopping, one of three Jimmy Takter trainees to make the ninth-race main event, arrives at the Miracle Mile after chasing Marion Marauder to take second in a $153,250 Dancer Memorial split at the Meadowlands on the Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace undercard. While just a two-time winner in 16 career tries, the son of Muscle Hill has amassed nearly a quarter million dollars in career earnings and top-four placings in the Beal and Goodtimes stakes as well. Tim Tetrick is nominated to drive Bar Hopping once again for the partnership of Christina Takter, the Hatfield Stables, Marvin Katz, and Al Libfeld.
Among the eight 3-year-old colts and geldings Bar Hopping will square off against is the lightly raced but mighty impressive Trolley, a son of Donato Hanover from the Erv Miller stable. Prior to a respectable effort to make belated gains from last behind divisional standout Southwind Frank in his Dancer split, he sustained pursuit of that same rival in the $500,000 Earl Beal Memorial at Pocono on July 2. In just six starts, Trolley has amassed more than $173,000 in career earnings. Marcus Miller once again drives Trolley for Paymaq Racing, Leland Mathias, Greg Gillis, and Louis Willinger.
Pennsylvania Sire Stakes standouts Hititoutofthepark (Corey Callahan nominated) and Love Matters (Brett Miller), Ontario invader Blenheim (Chris Christoforou), and New York Sire Stakes contender Smalltownthrowdown (Dan Daley) are other notable entrants.
Trotting fillies contest a $140,000 main event in race seven, with six of the nine entered mainly campaigning on the New York Sire Stakes circuit thus far this season — including Empire Breeders Classic runner-up Swinging Royalty.
The marquee filly of the group is seven-time winner Womans Will (Andy Miller nominated), a dead-heat winner in a $95,250 Delvin Miller Memorial division at the Meadowlands last week, sharing victory with Unica Steed in 1:54.2 after making all the pace. Julie Miller trains the Donato Hanover filly for Al Libfeld and Marvin Katz.
In addition to the Zweig events, 14 New York-sired 3-year-old pacing fillies will vie for a combined $120,400 in twin Sire Stakes events. Multiple stakes winners American Ivy (Andy Miller) and Soft Idea (Jason Bartlett) square off in race five, while Time On My Hands (Bartlett) headlines the seventh race.
Post time for the 14-race Zweig card on Sunday evening is 6:45 p.m. (EDT).
- Improving Fad Finance looks to capture Zweig Filly (Friday, July 22, 2016)
With just a week before the eliminations for the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks, Broadway Donna and All The Time have emerged as the top contenders to capture one of the most treasured prizes in harness racing for 3-year-old fillies, but there is a lass in the Empire State that might very well travel to New Jersey to stake her claim to divisional honors. She is Fad Finance. The filly, who sports a career record of 14-7-3-1 and has quietly amassed $129,988 in purse money, will face eight rivals in the $140,000 Zweig Memorial Filly Trot at Vernon Downs on Sunday.
- Milligan’s School is blossoming into top colt (Friday, July 22, 2016)
A word of advice to Julie Miller’s friends. As the trainer gets Milligan’s School ready for his final Hambletonian prep event, don’t post anything on her Facebook wall because you won’t hear back until at least next week. Milligan’s School is competing in Sunday’s $300,000 Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial main event for 3-year-old trotters at Vernon Downs, and he has the complete attention of his trainer.