Meadowlands: Summa Cum Laude stars in Kindergarten Classic Series final

Summa Cum Laude, who dead-heated for the victory with Perfect Sting in last week's Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Pace final, didn't have to share top honors in his $204,050 Kindergarten Classic Series final on Saturday night at the Meadowlands as he was victorious in 1:50 2/5 from post ten.

Driver Yannick Gingras left some with Summa Cum Laude and was able to slide over into fourth before the 26 4/5 opening quarter that was put on the board by Shakespeare (Todd McCarthy). Gingras then moved off the pylons with Summa Cum Laude, and he paced up to and then around Shakespeare after the 55 4/5 half.

Around the far turn and to the 1:23 3/5 three-quarters, Summa Cum Laude gave the cold shoulder to a first-over bid by Simon Says Hanover (Scott Zeron), and then Summa Cum Laude powered home in 26 4/5 to defeat Shakespeare by a length and a quarter. Captain Sleaze (Marcus Miller) was third, followed by Always B Sweet (George Napolitano Jr.) and Simon Says Hanover.

"I just wanted to get him in play somewhat. Obviously I wasn't going to take back to last. I was able to get away fourth, and from there, I was just going to see what the pace was going to be. He can race any which way, so it didn't matter," said Gingras. "I figured somebody would want to follow me. He's the horse to beat in the race. I was happy to get away there, and then the pace slowed down going to the half, so I was able to move him to the lead. He raced really good on the front for me, and he obviously raced good for Brian last week from behind, so I was just going to see what was going to happen, but it didn't matter.

"He's really a quality horse, and I had a ton of pace still finishing. He did it pretty easy tonight."

A Somebeachsomewhere colt, Summa Cum Laude is trained by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Phil Collura, J&T Silva- Purnel & Libby, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. Summa Cum Laude, a $260,000 acquisition at last year's Standardbred Horse Sale, now sports a record of 5-5-0 from 14 starts, and he has banked $445,425. He is out of the Western Hanover mare Western Graduate (1:51 1/5, $1,305,072), making him a full brother to I'm Some Graduate (1:50 2/5, $532,993). He returned $4.00 to win after being sent off as the even-money choice.