Meadowlands: Reign Of Honor, Stella Jane upset in Kindergarten Classic finals for trotters

Reign Of Honor and Stella Jane posted surprise victories in the pair of Kindergarten Classic Series finals for 2-year-old trotters that were held on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

The colts and geldings kicked off the finals with their $221,540 race, and 7-1 shot Reign Of Honor (David Miller) broke his maiden at a great time, winning in 1:55 3/5.

The complexion of this event changed early on when 1-9 choice and previously-undefeated Seven Hills (Corey Callahan) made a break in stride. That left things wide open, and the eventual winner would never see the cones in the mile, getting into an quickly-developing outer tier third-over behind Lucky Weekend (Vinny Ginsburg) and Divine Spirit (Andy McCarthy). Lucky Weekend made front past the 29-second first quarter, then Divine Spirit cleared to command past the 57 3/5 half, and that left Reign Of Honor first-over.

Despite losing his cover and being outside throughout, Reign Of Honor kept digging, getting to within half a length of Divine Spirit at the 1:27 three-quarters. Off the last turn Reign Of Honor would take control, and then he poured it on from there, opening up at will to win by 5 1/4 lengths. Early leader Memo (Yannick Gingras) came back through to get second, with 96-1 shot Reve Toujours (Andy Miller) third after following Reign Of Honor throughout the race.

"That definitely opened the race up," said David Miller about the break by the favorite. "Around the first turn I wasn't real happy with my spot. I actually got covered clear past the half, and Andy's horse had to work pretty hard to get there, so I just sat there and was hoping for the best. Top of the stretch I asked him, and he took right off."

Richard "Nifty" Norman trains Reign Of Honor, a gelded son of Father Patrick, for owners Deo Volente Farms LLC., Jennifer Dalton Stable LLC., and Tom Pontone. A $120,000 buy at last year's Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Reign Of Honor has earned $159,625 in his ten trips so far behind the gate. He was bred by Kentuckiana Farms LLC. and Jorgen Jahre and is out of Margarita Momma (Yankee Glide, 1:53 4/5, $610,317), making him a half-brother to Marquis Volo (Credit Winner, 1:53, $176,071). He returned $17.60 to win.

"Nifty told me during the week that he was very optimistic, and I said 'okay, great, it would be a nice time to get the first win,'" remarked Mike Gulotta from Deo Volente.

After the unfortunate break by Seven Hills in the colt and gelding trot final, driver Callahan and trainer John Butenschoen some immediate redemption by claiming the $236,060 contest for fillies with 17-1 shot Stella Jane in 1:54 4/5.

Stella Jane got away quickly from the gate and led her nine foes to the 28-second opening quarter, but post ten starter Sister's Promise (Tim Tetrick) drove up on her outside and took the lead in the backstretch.

Sister's Promise maintained the lead through middle-half stations of 57 and 1:25 4/5, but Stella Jane angled out off the last turn, took the top spot, and kicked clear to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths. Princess Deo (McCarthy) brushed from eighth to second in the final quarter, and Sister's Promise wound up third.

"I drove her early in the year, and we had a little bit of success, so I was glad to get back on her at the right time," offered Callahan. "There were a couple of people lagging off the gate, and I knew that Tetrick was going to leave, so if I ducked I was probably going to get away ninth and wasn't going to be able to win from there. She's been handy, so we just shot out of there, and everything worked out well.

"I had a lot of trot in the last turn, and as we straightened up there in the stretch, Timmy called on his, and it didn't look like he had as much, as good as she's been. I moved her over, and she trotted right to the wire. It was a good mile for her."

Stella Jane, by Crazed and out of the Malabar Man mare Naughty Nana (2:01 3/5, $77,647), is a homebred for Al and Michelle Crawford and their Crawford Farms. This was Stella Jane's third win from 13 tries, and she has now banked $181,841. She paid $36.20 to win.