Vernon: Driving doubles for Bartlett, Sears in Big Apple finals
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New York-sired 2-year-olds were in the spotlight on Friday evening at Vernon Downs in four $250,000 Big Apple finals, and drivers Jason Bartlett and Brian Sears both had two victories.
Bartlett teamed up with Gio's Hope to win the colt and gelding trot in 1:53 1/5. After tucking in fourth from post eight, Bartlett brought Gio's Hope to the outside on the final bend and advanced to get side-by-side with Ocean Storm (Brett Beckwith) at the 1:25 1/5 three-quarters. Gio's Hope would sustain his bid to overtake Ocean Storm in the lane, then held off a bid by pocket-sitter Archon (Jordan Stratton) to prevail by a quarter of a length. Ocean Storm wound up third.
Bred by Little E LLC., the victorious Chapter Seven colt is trained by Marcus Melander and owned by Brixton Medical Inc. and Hatfield Stables. Gio's Hope has a summary of 5-1-1 from eight appearances, has pocketed $296,904 and returned $6.22 to win.
Sears and the undefeated Kountry Plunge captured the filly trot in a track record 1:53 2/5. Sears wheeled Kountry Plunge out of third past the 27 2/5 quarter and worked until beyond the 57 1/5 half to get command away from Secret Lover (Bartlet). Once she did clear, Kountry Plunge trotted on to three-quarters in 1:26, then came home in 27 2/5 to defeat a first-over Seven Thirds (Matt Kakaley) by four lengths. Wavy Xavie (Jeff Gregory) checked in third.
An Ake Svanstedt-trained daughter of Chapter Seven, Kountry Plunge was bred by Kountry Lane Standardbred LLC. and is owned by Obm Stable, Svanstedt & Midnight Sun, Bender Sweden Inc. and Ecurie Diocles Ab. Kountry Plunge is seven-for-seven in the win column thus far, has banked $412,100 and paid $2.10 to win.
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It was then Bartlett's turn in the filly pace as Cowboy Candy won in dominant fashion from first-up and lowered the track record from 1:50 4/5 to 1:49 2/5. Carly Shay (Beckwith) set a demanding tempo of 25 4/5, 54 and 1:21 2/5, and when challenged by Cowboy Candy, who vacated the pylons from fourth on the final bend, Carly Shay was overtaken with little dispute before they turned into the stretch. From there Cowboy Candy kept pouring it on through the lane, widening to defeat Annie O (Gregory) by 4 1/4 lengths. Huntsvilles Honey (Tyler Buter) collected third.
Aaron Lambert sent out Cowboy Candy, a daughter of So Surreal bred by Eric Taddeo, for owner Chain Lightning Stables LLC. She has eight wins and a second from ten tries, has put away $347,450 and returned $3.86 to win.
To close things out, Sears and Global Choice got up late to win the colt and gelding pace in 1:50 2/5. Its News To Me (Leon Bailey) was on the engine at the 25 4/5 quarter, 55 second half and 1:22 4/5 three-quarters as Rose Run Cowboy (Jason Bartlett) moved up first-over from fourth to challenge the tempo-setter on the final bend with Global Choice positioned second-over. Its News To Me was able to put away Rose Run Cowboy in the lane, but Global Choice fanned out, rallied and was able to nail Its News To Me by a nose on the wire. Rowdy Station (Beckwith) finished third.
Garry Merner Jr. handles the training of Global Choice, a colt by Courtly Choice, for owner Gino Toscani. A Winbak Farm-bred, Global Choice made his third stop in the winner's circle from 13 efforts, has earnings of $250,986 and paid $2.76 to win.