Western Tsunami speeds to Saturday feature win

The crowd wagering choice Western Tsunami started things off in fast fashion on Saturday night at Vernon Downs.

With Jonathan Roberts doing the teaming for trainer Tracy Brainard, Western Tsunami ($3.70) went right to the front from the four post position, shrugging off a couple of minor challenges from Pacinello before posting a half-length victory over his annoying runner-up and completing a 1:51.4 mile, that proved to be the fastest of Saturday's 13 events.

Saturday's bold-going score was the third locally, fifth this season and 45^th all-time for the gritty 9-year-old gelding, who is shared in ownership by Brainard and Andrew Herzog.  The bay son of Western Hanover is now a career-winner of more than $351,400.

The victory was one of four during the track's 79^th program for relative newcomer Roberts, who also finished first with the trotter B Cor Janett (race two), and pacers Mach My Word (eight) and B Cor Terry (12).

Rick Plano capped off an 11-win weekend with four Saturday scores, and currently tops the track's driving stats with 132 tallies and its conditioning chart with 68 first-place finishes.

Trainer Leslie Hale (B Cor Janett and B Cor Terry) also compiled a pair of victories during the brisk fall evening.

DOWNS DOINGS—A 1:53.2 effort by Mach My Word in Saturday's eighth event was his seventh of 2012 at the Downs, one shy of the most wins by representative of the lateral gait at the meet.  Fellow pacer Steuben Ruthless leads in equine victories with eight, while the trotter Whispur also has seven scores at the meet…Plano tops all drivers in four-win performances at the Downs this season with five…The pacer Camviction, competing in his final pari-mutuel season at age 14, earned his initial win of the year after a 1:55.3 performance with Plano steering for trainer/part-owner Lynn Whitmer and her husband, Charles, in Saturday's final event…Vernon will continue its Thursday-Saturday fall live racing schedule at 6:55 p.m. next week…Currently,  there are just 11 live programs remaining during the track's 59^th season, that continues through Nov. 3…Additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.