Meadowlands: Lou Vuitton victorious in Kindergarten final for rookie male pacers

Lou Vuitton, the 2-1 second choice, powered first-over and persisted through a stretch battle to hold firm on the point to the finish of a 1:51 1/5 mile to win the $179,200 Crawford Farms Kindergarten Classic final for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Forging forward through a 27 4/5 first quarter, Lou Vuitton pocketed early leader Total Stranger to land on the point before yielding control to 3-2 favorite Courtship. Courtship took the field by the half in 55 2/5 and strolled through the final turn to clock three-quarters in 1:23 2/5 while Lou Vuitton began his attack.

Courtship clung to a shrinking lead motoring down the straightaway as Lou Vuitton pressed closer and closer to the outside. Lou Vuitton lunged to the lead in the final eighth and survived a two-pronged battle to the finish by a head with Courtship holding second to the inside. Total Stranger swung wide to join the fight but just missed in third and Fasnacht Hanover checked in fourth.

"Matty [Kakaley and Courtship] was the horse I thought I had to follow and it worked out good," winning driver David Miller said. "As soon as I moved him, he started chugging forward and didn't stop until he got his head in front. All three of us were charging towards the wire there, and I was doing all I could to keep mine going. He's turned into a really nice colt, and when I got the chance to drive him again I was glad to get it."

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Ron Burke trains Lou Vuitton, a colt by Sweet Lou who competes for owners Burke Racing Stable, Hatfield Stables, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby and Larry Karr. Lou Vuitton has now won four races from 13 starts and accrued $180,779 in earnings. He paid $6 to win.