Stonebridge Wish a Hard-Fought 1:52.2 Victory

Track record-holder Stonebridge Wish turned in a strong harness racing performance en route to a hard-fought 1:52.2 victory in Saturday night's $10,000 featured sixth race at Vernon Downs.

With leading driver Josh Marks doing the teaming for top trainer Tracy Brainard, the veteran pacer's owner, Stonebridge Wish led throughout the week's Miracle Mile 1 clash, but had to beat back late bids by Diamond Stick Pin and Daley Deposit Only before preserving a three-quarter length triumph. He paid $4.40 to win.

In his last outing here on June 5, Stonebridge Wish breezed to a nearly 12-length score in 1:49.4, which rewrote the track's record for aged pacing geldings and is currently tied, with a similar clocking by the aged pacing mare My Little Dragon, as the fastest mile in Vernon's 57-year history.

Saturday's tally was the second at the meet, the third on the season and the 10th all-time for the speedy bay son of Camluck-Star Crusher, who now sports career winnings of $145,794.

It was one of three wins on Saturday's 12-race card for Marks, raising his local tally to 78 after 29 programs. He also finished first with the pacers Ghost Moves (1:55.1) and You Bet Your Glass (1:51.2) to chalk up his seventh hat trick at the Downs in 2010.

DOWNS DOINGS-

The You Bet Your Glass clocking ended up as the fastest of the evening...The pacer Up Front Rudy became the first six-time winning equine at the meet after a 1:52.1 tally for driver Jimmy Whittemore in Saturday's $6,200 fifth race. Trainer Jody Weidman owns the 6-year-old pacer along with George Mathar...Whittemore and trainer Jennifer Sansone each recorded doubles during Saturday's card...There will be no live racing at Vernon next Thursday, July 1. The track will offer harness competition at 6:55 on Friday and Saturday nights only next weekend. The Downs has a 1:15 p.m. program planned for Monday, July 5