Meadowlands: Todd McCarthy triples in Kindergarten Series

Todd McCarthy took the driver colony at the Meadowlands to school Saturday night, as the 29-year-old pilot took three of the eight $20,000 fourth - and final - leg divisions of the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-olds.

Horses were scrambling to earn enough points to qualify for next week's four big-money finals, with estimated purses totaling just over $1 million. (For the point standings, go to playmeadowlands.com)

'Hot Toddy' got rolling in the second race, a division for male trotters, when he guided 1-9 favorite Southwind Admiral, a Tactical Landing-Amber Ella colt, to an easy 2 1/2 length score in 1:56 3/5 to up his win streak to six for trainer Ron Coyne Jr.

Heart On Fire was win No. 2 for McCarthy in race five, scoring at 8-1 in a division for filly trotters in 1:55 2/5. A daughter of Father Patrick-Corazon Blue Chip, the Tony Alagna student won by a neck to score for the fourth time from nine starts.

McCarthy's third victory came behind another Alagna student, Bellisima Hanover, who stopped the clock in 1:53 as the 1-5 public choice in the eighth. A daughter of Captaintreacherous-Bedroomconfessions, Bellisima Hanover hit the wire 3 1/2 lengths to the good.

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AKE A-OK: Ake Svanstedt had a training-driving double, scoring with Bond ($5.40) in a Kindergarten filly trot in a lifetime-best 1:54. The daughter of Southwind Frank-Boccone Dolce has now won four in-a-row.

Svanstedt's second score came in the overnight feature, a high-end conditioned trot, with Southwind Tyrion (Muscle Hill-Taylor Jean) in a lifetime-best equaling 1:51 4/5 as the 1-5 public choice.

A LITTLE MORE: Yannick Gingras won two of the final three races on the card to equal McCarthy's driving triple. Trainer Ron Burke sent four to victory lane. All-source wagering totaled $2,596,878. Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.

--press release (Meadowlands)--