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

Vernon, NY — Two divisions of the Kindergarten Classic Series will co-feature Friday night’s (August 21) 11-race card at Vernon Downs, along with a $9,000 Open Handicap Trot.

In the first race, a $10,000 Kindergarten Classic leg for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters, Ray Schnittker will send out the high priced yearling Southwind Daytona from post position four. The $70,000 son of Cantab Hall-Dancing Patricia has yet to hit the board in five seasonal starts, but is getting a bit of class relief from the sire stakes in Pennsylvania and has not missed a check yet this year. Ray Schnittker trains and co-owns with the partnership of Feldman, Iannazzo, and Taylor, while Gareth Dowse has been listed for the driving assignment.

His main competition will come from the rail in Upfront Pattys Boy, who posts the lone pari-mutuel win in the field. The son of Windsong’s Legacy-Ebba Hanover is trained by Mark Ford for Ed Mullinax. The freshman trotting colt sports a record of one win, one second, and one third in four seasonal starts.

In the third race, the lone division for 2-year-old trotting fillies, none of the seven starters have ever posted a pari-mutuel win. The most royally bred filly of the field, Playoff Volo, will be making her second lifetime start. She is the daughter of Classic Photo and the great trotting mare Stroke Play. Jan Johnson trains and drives the filly for Jorgen Jahre, Jr., who purchased the filly for $60,000 as a yearling.

The filly coming into the race with the most impressive line would have to be number five (leaving from post position six), Full Tank. The daughter of Muscles Yankee-Arenal is coming off a qualifying victory last Friday at Vernon Downs where the filly won by ten lengths in 1:59.1 with a final panel of :28.3. Robert Bencal trains Full Tank for Little E LLC and it will be the third start of the year for the youngster.

Vernon Downs kicks off its three-day race weekend on Thursday, August 20, with a post time of 6:55 p.m. For more information on Vernon Downs visit www.vernondowns.com.