 |
| No Monkeys Allowed |
Generally
speaking, monkeys aren't allowed in the winner's circle at Vernon Downs, but
Saturday night was the exception.
After a
text-book journey in Saturday's $6,200 featured seventh race, No Monkeys
Allowed earned the right to enter that charmed circle after a splendid 1:51.2
pacing performance.
Brian
Connor did the teaming for trainer Edgar Clarke as No Monkeys Allowed followed
the pace-setting Oh My Joepa off the gate and dropped into the two spot. Even though the on-rushing Vroom Hanover
became the chief threat on the outside for a bit in the far turn, the patient
6-year-old gelding remained in the garden spot until the stretch drive, and
then accelerated in the final strides to defeat Oh My Joepa by a half-length at
the finish.
Saturday's
slick score was the first in seven season's starts and the 18th
overall for the bay son of Rocknroll Hanover-Weeping Wanabe. The career-winner of $214,209 is shared in
ownership by Robert J. Orr and Gary J. Jonas.
The
first-place finish was one of two during Saturday's 12-race program for Connor,
while it gave Clarke his third training credit of the weekend.
Leading
driver Rick Plano tied runner-up Roman Lopez at eight after collecting a triple
during the track's 39th program, while former Vernon champ and
current 2:00-mile driving leader Howard Okusko, Jr. (1,180) registered a pair
of victories, as did his wife, former local training champ Jessica Okusko.
DOWNS DOINGS— The Okusko's daughter, Kayla
Prentice was recently named the winner of a $15,000 Gallo Blue Chip Scholarship
for 2013 by the Harness Horse Youth Foundation.
The 17-year-old recent graduate of Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School
(with a 4.0 GPA) will attend Syracuse University this fall, where she will
study health and exercise science…Through July 20, Plano leads Lopez 76-59 in
driving tallies and 27-25 in conditioning credits…Jocelyn Lavigne is currently
third in training tallies with 24…The HHYF conducted a pair of non-betting pony
races on Saturday to complete their week-long summer camp at the track.
Participating in the program, headed up by Ellen Taylor, were Abigail Dingman,
Dasha Fedroff, Dylan Huckabone, Rebecca Randall, Holly Roux, Rachel Siegel,
Becca Vineall and Victoria Windey…The Downs will present live racing at 6:45
p.m. Thursday-Saturday next week…A revised
2013 racing and stakes calendar, as well as additional information regarding
Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained
at www.vernondowns.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment