Meadowlands: McCarthy triples in Kindergarten Classic finals

Andrew McCarthy swept the two trotting Kindergarten Classic finals at the Meadowlands on Saturday night, winning first with Hey Blondie in the $198,000 final for juvenile trotting fillies, then right back with Tito in the $214,900 final for trotting colts. McCarthy then captured the $150,000 final for pacing colts with Points North to take three of the four finals.

Hey Blondie made two moves to secure the front in the filly division and strolled home confidently in a 1:53 4/5 career-best clocking. Hey Blondie, sent off as the 9-5 second choice, easily disposed odds-on favorite Basquiat, who finished second. Dab Hanover finished third.

"She warmed up good, and I thought I had to leave with her," said McCarthy of his decision to leave with the filly that had previously raced almost exclusively from off the pace.

Hey Blondie will stay at the Meadowlands for the Goldsmith Maid. Hall of Famer Chuck Sylvester trains her.

McCarthy gave Tito a perfect cover trip, and the son of Muscle Mass was strong, scoring in 1:55 while besting Seven Iron and Helpisontheway, two rivals that followed his cover.

Dawson Springs made two moves for the front, with Joe Bongiorno eager to cut the action. Farsetti Hanover, a stablemate of the winner, forced the issue first-over to the stretch, softening up the pace-setter and paving the way for the outer tier.

Tito is trained by Erv Miller, who indicated the colt would go next in the Valley Victory.

"He got a little sick in July. His qualifier at Lexington (October 6) told me he was back," said Miller.

Points North took the overland route, going a huge trip without cover and surviving a close photo in a 1:51 1/5 career-best clocking. The altered son of Somebeachsomewhere showed speed leaving before settling for a tuck. McCarthy waited as Rockapelo tucked and then made an aggressive move to the front, cutting fractions of 27 1/5, 55 2/5, and then 1:23 3/5 while holding the winner at bay.

Sent off at 2-1, Points North put away the pacemaker, and then held off a cavalry charge, with 48-1 shot Fashiononthebeach closing for second and Rockapelo holding third.

Richard (Nifty) Norman trains Points North, who won for the seventh time in a dozen juvenile starts.

"He's really gritty and he digs in in the stretch," said McCarthy of Points North, a horse that has matured over the long season.

Kissin In The Sand regained winning form, capturing the $140,550 Kindergarten for 2-year-old pacing fillies by open lengths in 1:50 3/5, just one fifth of a second short of the track record.

The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere, sent off as the 4-5 choice, sprinted to the front before the 27 1/5 quarter, then shook off middle-half pressure from Im Trigger Happy through spirited fractions of 54 2/5 and 1:23. Once in the homestretch Kissin In The Sand dominated, with driver Yannick Gingras urging her to a career-best clocking, her sixth victory in a dozen starts. Reign On Me finished second, with Aldine Hanover third behind Kissin In The Sand.

Kissin In The Sand is eligible to the Three Diamonds.

"We'll have to talk to the owners," trainer Nancy Johansson said in regard to racing Kissin In The Sand in that stakes event.