Favored Delightful Dancer Takes Thursday Night Feature

Delightful Dancer displayed the most foot in the homestretch while capturing Thursday night’s $8,000 featured sixth race in 1:53.1 at Vernon Downs.

Chuck Connor, Jr. did the driving for veteran conditioner Howard Okusko, Sr. as Delightful Dancer laid back in the early going, came overland from third at the half, and then closed from second in the final furlong to catch and defeat the pace-setting Chantal Hall by a little more than two lengths in the week’s top test for female pacers.

As the favorite, Delightful Dancer paid $4.80 for finishing first.

It was the third season’s score (all at Vernon) and 10th overall tally for the 4-year-old daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Dragon’s Georgette, who is owned by Rocco Manzi. Her career bankroll now stands at $87,418.

Chris Lems and Brian Connor (Chuck’s son) each recorded a pair of victories during Thursday’s nine-race card.

DOWNS DOINGS—Fox Valley Majesty tied Sharpshootennorris and Oven Ready at four for most trotting victories at the meet following his 1:59.3 tally in Thursday’s third contest. The pacer Up Front Rudy leads in total equine victories after 36 programs with seven scores…Lems drove Patricia Crawford’s homebred sophomore filly trotter Yessir Thatsmybaby to a 1:58.4 maiden-breaking victory in Thursday’s first event…Friday’s 10-race program, which features the week’s top trotting events, will get underway at 6:55 p.m.