Brookroad Knight returned to his winning ways after posting the fastest clocking in the final division of Thursday night's $37,200 New York Sire Stakes-sponsored late-closing contest for 2-year-old male trotters at Vernon Downs.Competing over a "sloppy" track in the third and final flight of Thursday's test for freshman representatives of the diagonal gait, Brookroad Knight idled in fourth as Leo Vincent cut a three-quarter-mile split in 1:29.2.
With Dan Cappello, Jr. sitting in for trainer Bruce Borden, the bay son of CR Excalibur-Questionable closed from second at the top of the stretch (final quarter in :29 seconds), and out-hoofed the pocket-sitting Toga Town to the finish by one length.
The fast-closing, lifetime-best 1:58.4 effort resulted in the fourth win in the past five starts for the career-winner of $21,737, who is still owned by breeder John W. O'Connor.
Thursday's other late-closing divisional victors were Hurrikane Brockton (Conway Hall-Global Possession), in 2:00.4 for driver Stephane Bouchard, trainer John Mc Dermott, and the Jeffrey Kuhen, Hurrikane Racing and Jonathan Klee ownership contingent; and New York Attitude (Cash Hall-Four Starz Nanny), in 2:01.3 with Chuck Connor, Jr. teaming for trainer John Hallett, and co-owners Michelle Hallett and L. Michelle Oglesby.
Thursday's career-fastest tally was the third in succession for Hurrikane Brockton, while New York Attitude's maiden-breaking performance improved his summary line to 1-1-3 after six starts.
Connor, Jr. recorded a double during the 12-race program after teaming Ocean's Motion to a career-quickest 1:52 tally in Thursday's $10,000 Open event for female pacers.
It was the first win in two local tries, fifth current victory and 12th all-time score for the 4-year-old daughter of Camotion-CR Charisma, who is trained by Janice Connor (Chuck's wife) and owned by Robert Lovett.
Rick Plano posted two sulky-sitting and training tallies during the track's 70th program, while drivers Jimmy Whittemore and Frank Davis each recorded a pair of first-place finishes.
DOWNS DOINGS - With trainer John Stark, Jr. driving, the promising 2-year-old trotting filly The Sorceress earned her second straight score and a 2:00 win-record in Thursday's $3,000 third race for Stark and his Syracuse-area partners E. Carlyle Smith, David Smith and Jim Giannuzzi... Plano is currently second in training tallies at the meet with 33, 14 behind the leader Tracy Brainard with 20 planned programs remaining during the track's 58th season... Friday's 12-race card, which includes the week's Open-1 and Open-2 trotting tests, will begin at 6:55 p.m... Additional information regarding the track's 2011 season, its casino and newly-renovated hotel can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com, and on Facebook.
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