Seasonal Record Matched in Kindergarten Classic Series

Charlie De Vie tied the season’s standard for 2-year-old trotting colts, while John Paul’s Legacy equaled the all-time track record for aged trotting horses during Friday night’s 12-race program at Vernon Downs.

Charlie De Vie bullied his way to a front-striding 1:58.2 personal-best record while capturing Friday’s $10,000 fifth race, the male division of the Kindergarten Classic Series for freshman high-steppers.

It was the first career win for the brown son of Yankee Glide-Knickers Hanover, who is driven and trained by Oyvind Hegdal and owned by the Joie De Vie Farm.

In Friday’s $11,000 sixth session, John Paul’s Legacy also led from start to finish for catch-driver Jimmy Whittemore, stopping the timer in 1:55.1 to capture the week’s premier Miracle Mile class for representatives of the diagonal gait.

It was the fifth season’s score and 17th lifetime victory for the 5-year-old son of Credit Winner-Amore Vita, who is trained by Angus Mac Donald and owned by Emil Benvenuto.

Charlie De Vie’s mile equaled the current colt trotting mark, set by Surface Tension on Aug. 12, while John Paul’s Legacy tied the all-time horse trotting record, established by Fight Cheer in 1999.

Kindergarten Classic Series $10,000 2-year-old filly flights went to first time winners Lady Pixie (Yankee Glide-B Cor Peatra), in 2:02.1 for driver Ruel “Dude” Goodblood, Jr., trainer Larry Rathbone and the M & L Stable for Delaware, Inc., and Sacred Saint (Chocolatier-Sister Sammy), in 1:59.4 for driver/trainer Trond Smedshammer and owners Robert M and David H. Anderson.

DOWNS DOINGS—Defending driving champ Whittemore earned his seventh hat trick during Friday’s 53rd program. He also scored with the trotters Ashco’s Scotty (1:58.4) and Hit Me Baby (1:59)…Cool Touch’s 1:55 victory in race eight was his sixth at the meet, tying him with Fox Valley Majesty for most trotting tallies through Aug. 20. Josh Marks did the teaming for owner/trainer Scott West…The pacer Up Front Rudy currently leads in equine victories at the meet with seven…Saturday night’s 12-race card, which begins at 6:55, features four divisions of a $101,268 New York Sires Stake for 2-year-old filly pacers and the week’s top Miracle Mile pacing contest