Vernon: No beating Melander, Bartlett in Big Apple Trots

Spencer Hanover went into Saturday's $250,000 Big Apple Trot for juvenile colts and geldings as a maiden in nine tries, but that didn't hold him back as he shattered the Vernon Downs track record by more than a second, winning in 1:52 3/5 with driver Jason Bartlett in the sulky for trainer Marcus Melander.

There were eight behind the gate, but two made miscues, including 7-5 favorite AI before the start, and that allowed Bartlett to easy Spencer Hanover into a tuck early in the mile. Twin B Seven Sins and Tyler Buter out-sprinted Read The Room and Dylan Huckabone-Miller to gain command into the turn. Following a 26 2/5 opening fraction, Read The Room edged from the pocket to get control and was given it when Twin B Seven Sins made a break.

The pace picked up, with Read The Room on an open lead through a blistering 54 2/5 half mile fraction, but the pace got to the leader, and by three-quarters in 1:23 4/5, Titans Mischief and Matt Kakaley were on the move to go by the leader, with Bartlett sitting chilly with Spencer Hanover.

Once in the stretch Bartlett tipped his charge wide, and Spencer Hanover, a son of Chapter Seven, was full of himself, drawing clear impressively and exhibiting the talent anticipated when he was purchased by owners Jeffrey Snyder and Arthur Pronti from the 2024 Lexington Selected Sale for $450,000. Who's Eyes Blues rallied for second, with Titans Mischief settling for third.

As the 2-1 second choice, Spencer Hanover returned $6.92 to win.

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Bartlett and Melander swept the Big Apple Trots when Nezuko Kamado S captured the $250,000 filly event, equaling Atlanta's 1:54 track record in the process. Another daughter of Chapter Seven, this one a homebred of Courant Inc., Nezuko Kamado S
hustled to the lead following the 27 second first quarter and then never looked back, easily holding Storybook Love at bay with Sharp Seven third across the wire.

Flying Copper and Brett Beckwith flew out of the gate to take control freom Storybook Love early and then broke stride while that one was regaining command. Bartlett settled the 3-2 favored Nezuko Kamado S in the early stages but moved quickly to gain control of the race past the quarter.

After setting sensible fractions of 56 2/5 and 1:26 1/5, Nezuko Kamado S needed encouragement by Bartlett coming into the stretch and responded, with Storybook Love on her back but not gaining. Jeff Gregory challenged without cover with Sharp Seven but found the 27 4/5 final quarter too imposing to close the gap.

Nezuko Kamado S was a winner for the fifth time in eight starts this year and returned $5.06 to win.