Lucky Jim Breaks Track Record in Winning $195,000 Credit Winner

The sensational Lucky Jim produced the fastest trotting mile in the 57-year history of Vernon Downs while winning the 4th-annual Credit Winner Open in 1:52 on Friday night.

Competing against six swift rivals in the $195,000 eighth event, Lucky Jim ($4.90) rallied three wide off the final bend and came a last quarter in :27.4 to earn a one length victory over track record-holder Buck I St Pat (1:54.3 for aged mares).

Hot Shot Blue Chip was another half-length back in third.

Friday’s thrilling effort resulted in the 24th lifetime score for the 6-year-old gelded son of S J’s Photo-Hawaiian Sierra, who improved his season’s slate to 5-4-0 after 11 appearances.

Andy Miller drove the career winner of $1.5 million for trainer Julie Miller and owners David and John Prushnok and William Gregg.

Lucky Jim’s clocking clipped one-fifth of a second off the previous all-time Vernon trotting standard, set by the older gelding Vivid Photo while winning this same event in 2007.

The gifted Frosty Flirt improved her season’s summary line to 10-1-1 after 14 starts with a personal best 1:55.1 triumph in a division of Friday’s $149,416 New York Sires Stakes contest for 3-year-old trotting fillies.

David Miller did the teaming for owner and trainer Tracy Brainard.

Friday’s other NYSS divisional winners were Wolf’s Jann (Tetrick driving for trainer Jeffrey Morris and the Leo Wolf & Son stable) in 1:56.2, Tuesdays With Mom (Claude Huckabone, Jr. steering for owner and trainer Peter Arrigenna) in 1:55.2 and Viva Las Lindy (Tetrick sitting in for trainer Frank Antonacci and the Adam Victor & Son stable) in 1:57.1.

Swan In A Million (Andy Miller handling the lines for trainer Erv Miller and the Diamond Creek Farm, Mary Jane Anderson, Mystical Marker Farm and John Carver ownership contingent) remained unbeaten after three starts with a 1:57.4 tally in a male division of Friday’s $40,000 Kindergarten Classic for 2-year-olds on the diagonal gait.

The other colt/gelding clash was won in 1:58.4 by Evil Urges (trainer Homer Hochstetler driving for Connie Hochstetler and Robert Buddig), who also secured his third season’s score.

The female Kindergarten Classic flights were captured by Taya’s Photo (Andy Miller teaming for trainer Erv Miller, Peggy C. Hood and the Mystical Marker Farm) in 2:00, and Hot Off The Press (part-owner Jacqueline Ingrassia piloting for trainer Frank Ingrassia and her fellow owners Martha Brown and the Arden Homestead Stable) in 1:57.4.

Tetrick, Andy Miller and Brainard each posted three wins during the track’s 65th program.

DOWNS DOINGS—Lucky Jim’s record for aged trotting geldings marks the 11th track standard that has been broken or tied during the 2010 meeting…Saturday’s 12-race all pacing line-up that includes six Miracle Mile clashes, will begin at 6:55 p.m.