Vernon: Ari Ferrari J motors to Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial title

Ari Ferrari J led at every call and won the $350,000 Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters on Saturday afternoon at Vernon Downs in 1:51 flat. Sadie Hanover took the companion $142,000 Zweig Memorial for sophomore filly trotters, and there were also a pair of New York Sire Stakes tilts for 3-year-old pacing fillies on the undercard.

Driven by Dexter Dunn, Ari Ferrari J hustled out from post seven and was able to clear Cecil Hanover (Ake Svanstedt) for the top spot before the 26 4/5 opening quarter. From there, Ari Ferrari J maintained command and was clear through middle-half stations of 56 1/5 and 1:24, then got home in 27 seconds flat to defeat Chapercraz (Joe Bongiorno), who gained out of third through the stretch, by a length and a quarter. Cecil Hanover wound up third, followed by French Wine (Andy Miller) and Kilmister (Brian Sears).

Tony Alagna trains Ari Ferrari J, a Walner colt bred by M Biasuzzi Stable Inc., for owner Ken Jacobs. Ari Ferrari J won for the fourth time in 21 starts, pushed his earnings to $466,186 and paid $5.10 to win as the 3-2 favorite.

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In the Zweig for the fillies, Sadie Hanover (Scott Zeron) showed the way early but was overtaken by Walner Payton (Dunn) beyond the 27 second quarter-mile marker. Walner Payton backed down the fractions to 56 3/5 and 1:25 2/5 after that but drifted out in the stretch, allowing Sadie Hanover to take command again on the inside late in the mile. The race wasn't over as Svanstedt had Gigi Hanover finishing well on the outside from second-over, but her charge fell a nose short with Sadie Hanover prevailing in 1:53 1/5. Walner Payton had to settle for third.

Bred by Hanover Shoe Farms, Sadie Hanover is a Linda Toscano-trained filly for owners The Bay's Stable LLC., Blue Ridge Stable, Carmen Iannacone, and Gary Cocco. She's been victorious in seven of her 12 trips behind the gate, has put away $233,454, and returned $3.00 to win as the 1-2 favorite.

Turn On The Charm, a daughter of Huntsville bred by owners Megan Beauchamp and John Coffey, won her $60,300 New York Sire Stakes test on the engine in 1:52 1/5 for driver Marcus Miller and trainer Bruce Clarke, and Twin B Joe Fresh, by Roll With Joe and bred by Brittany Farms, took the other $61,400 flight from first-over in 1:50 3/5 for co-owner/driver Dexter Dunn, co-owner/trainer Chris Ryder, and co-owners Peter Trebotica and Barry Spak.