by Dustin Ross, regional racing operations manager, Tioga/Vernon Downs

Nichols, NY — Two heavily favored trotters lead fields of nine in Memorial Day’s Empire Breeders Classic finals at Vernon Downs. Honorable Daughter headlines the $212,875 final for the ladies and Donttellmywife leads the $206,275 final for the men.

These two talented sophomore trotters each won their respective eliminations last Saturday night and were given the opportunity to pick their own post positions for the final. Donttellmywife opted for post position number three, while the connections of Honorable Daughter selected post position number five.

Honorable Daughter will once again be piloted by Jim Morrill, Jr. for trainer Larry Remmen. She was voted 2-year-old trotting filly of the year last year, which included a world record mile of 1:55.1 for 2-year-old trotting fillies on a five-eighths-mile track in the final of the Matron at Dover. The daughter of Malabar Man-Honorable Mother will look to increase her bankroll to more than $948,000 in only 13 lifetime starts with a win on Memorial Day at Vernon Downs.

Honorable Daughter’s stablemate Matchplay Volo won the other elimination for trotting fillies last week and her connections have selected post position number four. Morrill also steered her to victory for trainer Larry Remmen, but will continue to drive Honorable Daughter in the final. Stephane Bouchard has been listed on the driving assignment of Matchplay Volo who is a daughter of world champion millionaire Stroke Play.

The undefeated Donttellmywife will be steered by regular pilot Jeff Gregory for trainer George Ducharme. A perfect eight for eight in his young career, Donttellmywife will look to keep it that way in the richest race of his career to date. Owned by Ducharme, Nicola Oliva, and Harrah’s Chester track analyst Shannon DiAntonio, Donttellmywife earned over $220,000 as a freshman and took a mark of 1:58.2 in the New York Sire Stakes Final at Yonkers Raceway.

Also featured on the Monday afternoon card at Vernon Downs, Lantern Kronos will race in the $9,000 Open Trot for driver-trainer Jimmy Takter. Lantern Kronos won 12 of her 18 starts last year at age 3 and banked over $914,000, but she has yet to hit the board in two efforts this season.

Below are the fields for the Empire Breeders Classic Finals at Vernon Downs:

$206,275 EBC 3CT
HN-PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-1-Brother Nick-Ray Schnittker-Ray Schnittker
2-2-South Jersey Flash-Steven Reisenweaver-Steven Reisenweaver
3-3-Donttellmywife-Jeff Gregory-George Ducharme
4-4-Tip The Tide-Howard Okusko, Jr.-Jessica Okusko
5-5-Danger Hall-Fern Paquet, Jr.-Jonas Czernyson
6-6-Calchips Brute-Trond Smedshammer-Trond Smedshammer
7-7-Russell Hill-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Jimmy Takter
8-8-America-Andrew McCarthy-Richard Norman
9-9-Dillar A Dollar-Dan Daley-Dan Daley

$212,875 EBC 3FT
HN-PP-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-1-Porque-Jeff Gregory-Linda Toscano
2-2-Sister Marcy-William Bailey-David Dewhurst
3-3-Beachcomber-Andrew McCarthy-Jan Johnson
4-4-Matchplay Volo-Stephane Bouchard-Larry Remmen
5-5-Honorable Daughter-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Larry Remmen
6-6-New Hampshire Girl-Ray Schnittker-Ray Schnittker
7-7-Social Butterfly-Ray Schnittker-Ray Schnittker
8-8-Contag Way-John Stark, Jr.-John Stark, Jr.
9-9-The Ice Queen-Trond Smedshammer-Trond Smedshammer