Vernon: Many of New York's best compete in Breeders Classics, Sire Stakes

One of the biggest cards of the year for New York-sired horses, featuring a trio of Empire Breeders Classics (EBC) for sophomore trotters and two sire stakes flights for 3-year-old male pacers, occurred on Friday afternoon at Vernon Downs.

The richest event was the $193,400 Empire Breeders Classic for trotting fillies, and after sitting on the inside in fifth through fractions of 27 2/5, 56 2/5 and 1:24, Honey's Sweet was fanned out by driver Yannick Gingras in the lane and used a 27 second final quarter to chase down odds-on favorite and pace-setter R Melina (Tyler Buter), defeating her by a neck in 1:52. Sadbirdstillsing (Jason Bartlett) finished third.

Trainer Tony Alagna sent out Honey's Sweet for owner/breeder Crawford Farms. The daughter of Chapter Seven has a record of 5-1-2 from 13 outings, has pocketed $170,272 and paid $13.40 to win as a 5-1 offering.

In the first $101,500 EBC for the colts and geldings, Situationship (Ake Svanstedt) rallied out of the pocket in the stretch to a 3 3/4 length triumph in 1:52 1/5. Sir Pinocchio (Bartlett), who chopped out panels of 26 3/5, 55 2/5 and 1:24, had to settle for second and Thinker Monkey (Scott Zeron) closed from seventh at the half to third at the wire.

Svanstedt also trains Situationship, who was bred by Crawford Farms, for owners Knutsson Trotting Inc., Little E LLC. and Tomas Andersson. Situationship made his third appearance in the winner's circle in his 11th start, has put away $207,395 and returned $3.20 to win as the 3-5 favorite.

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Dame Good Time (Zeron), coming off a track record mile in a New York Sire Stakes split at Vernon most recently, brushed from third to first past the 28 1/5 quarter in the other $101,500 EBC for the boys and went on to reach the half in 57 3/5 and the three-quarters in 1:25 2/5. It appeared for most of the drive to the wire that Dame Good Time was on his way to another tally, but disaster struck inside the final eighth when he went off-stride, handing the victory to pocket-sitter Wild Ticket (Dexter Dunn) in a 1:53 2/5 mile. Dame Good Time crossed the wire second but was placed behind Fly By (Jason Barltett), who was elevated from third to the runner-up spot.

A Marcus Melander trainee bred by Al Libfeld, Wild Ticket is onwed by AMG Stable Inc., Kenneth Kjellgren, Heights Stable and Mantorp LLC. Wild Ticket is now a four-time winner from 13 efforts, pushed his bankroll to $190,862 and paid $6.00 to win as the 2-1 second choice.

Driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Travis Alexander swept the $59,200 New York Sire Stakes contests for sophomore pacing males, taking the first grouping with Howlenthehills in 1:50 1/5 and the second with Reggie The Fourth in 1:51 1/5.

Howlenthehills, a gelded son of American Ideal, was bred by Crawford Farms and is owned by Symmetry Stables LLC. He five victories from 13 appearances, has earned $179,481 and returned $4.70 to win as the second choice.

A Huntsville gelding bred by owner Fiddler's Creek Stables LLC., Reggie The Fourth has four wins in nine trips behind the gate and has now stashed away $118,750. He paid $6.10 to win as the 2-1 favorite.