Vernon: Branded By Lindy, Slay score in NY Sire Stakes

Branded By Lindy and Slay went home with top honors from the couple of $57,000 New York Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters that went behind the gate on Friday afternoon at Vernon Downs.

Currently the top-ranked horse in Ken Warkentin's Road to the Hambletonian, Branded By Lindy (Yannick Gingras) was third at the 29 second opening quarter but tipped to the outside past that marker and took the lead away from Middleman (Brian Sears) passing the 58 4/5 half. Branded By Lindy would go on to reach three-quarters in 1:26 4/5, then opened up in a 27 3/5 last quarter, defeating Castle House (Tim Tetrick) by four lengths in 1:54 2/5. Middleman was third.

"He's right where we want him now," said Gingras of Branded By Lindy, who finished third as the favorite in the 2021 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt Trot final and was making his pari-mutuel debut this year. "That was a good last quarter, and he did it really easy.

"He can race any whichway. Empire Breeders Classic next week, and we'll go from there."

Domenico Cecere trains Branded By Lindy, a Chapter Seven colt, for owner/breeder Lindy Farms of Connecticut. This was his ninth win from 12 career starts, and he has now earned $259,150. He was the 1-9 favorite and paid $2.10 to win.

In the other section Slay (Tetrick) chopped out the opening quarter in 28 seconds flat, but Sears wheeled out of the pocket with favored Cool Papa Bell and grabbed the top spot racing to the 56 3/5 half. Cool Papa Bell continued to show the way to a 1:24 1/5 three-quarters and into the lane, but Tetrick angled Slay to the outside in the drive and was able to get by Cool Papa Bell en route to a 1 1/4 length decision in 1:52 2/5. Velvet Style (Gingras) grabbed third.

"That was the perfect dream trip I wanted," remarked Tetrick. "He's a nice horse. He's better out of a hole.

"It's hard to pass out here today, but he made it look easy. I'm super happy to drive this horse."

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Slay is a colt by Chapter Seven and is trained by Tony Alagna for owners Crawford Farms Racing and James Crawford IV. Bred by Jonas Schlabach, Slay has a record of 3-2-2 from nine lifetime attempts, and he has now pocketed $157,629. He was the 7-2 second choice and returned $9.00 to win.