Zweig Memorial at Vernon on Saturday afternoon

The Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial for 3-year-old trotters will be raced at Vernon Downs on the afternoon of Saturday (July 9).

The $310,000 open division (race nine) features a match up of two of the top Hambletonian contenders in Branded By Lindy (post one, Yannick Gingras) and Fast As The Wind from the far outside post nine with Dexter Dunn aboard. These two colts emerged late in their freshman season and are off to promising sophomore starts.

Both of Branded By Lindy’s 2022 races have been over the Vernon oval, a New York Sire Stakes win and a “free too late” second in the Empire Breeders Classic. The Lindy Farms’ homebred son of Chapter Seven has been brought along carefully by trainer Domenico Cecere with focus squarely on the Hambletonian trophy.

Fast As The Wind has been the consummate racehorse throughout his career for trainer Tony Alagna. The son of Cantab Hall has been on the board in all five starts this season and was a handy winner of the Goodtimes stakes at Woodbine Mohawk Park last month. Three-time defending Driver of the Year Dunn will need all of his considerable skill to overcome the poor post for owners Leblanc & Kribbs, Joe Sbrocco, John Schmucker and Fodera Barbara Frank.

The logical favorite for the $123,000 Zweig filly stake (race eight) is Jiggy Jog S (post two, Dunn) who comes in off a 1:54 win in the NY NY Mile at Yonkers for owner Jorgen Sparredal last Friday. Ake Svanstedt trains Jiggy Jog S, as well as a second contender in Baptism who Ake drove to an impressive 1:51.3 win in a division of the Reynolds stake at The Meadowlands last week. She is four of five this season for Diamond Creek Racing and Crossover Racing.

Yanaba carries the hopes of the home team in the filly race as local trainer Dan Daley puts her in the hands of Vernon “Favorite Son” Brian Sears for the filly Zweig. She’s been razor sharp all season for Dan’s wife Ann-Mari and partners Jared Daley and Oleg Ivutin.

Post time for the Zweig card is 12:15 p.m.