Lukas Hall sets a new track record in NYSS on Thursday night

Lukas Hall and Jeff Gregory set a new track record

Lukas Hall converted a pocket trip into a 1:55 track record victory during the second division of Thursday night’s $106,124 New York Sires Stakes feature for 2-year-old male trotters at Vernon Downs.

With Jeff Gregory doing the teaming for trainer Kevin Mc Dermott in Thursday’s $52,562 10^th race, Lukas Hall drafted along in second place behind the mile-cutting favorite Crazzycrazzy until the stretch drive, where he came on in a :29-second final quarter to post a career-best win-clocking, that lowered the former Vernon standard for freshman colt trotters by 2/5ths-of-a-second.  The previous mark had been established by Manofmanymissions in 2010.

It was the second win (coupled with a pair of third-place finishes) in five starts for the quick-striding bay son of Conway Hall-Goddess Of War, who is owned by former New York Jets standout Wayne Chrebet and Jeff Gural’s Little E LLC stable.   Two NYSS wins in succession have raised the capable colt’s career earnings to $62,881.

Thursday’s other NYSS divisional winner was Daley Lovin’, who also came from behind to record a career-best 1:56.3 victory in the $53,562 sixth race.  Trainer Dan Daley drove the homebred son of Conway Hall-Dreamsrmadeofthis for his wife Ann-Mari Daley and Jlrl LLC.  It was the first score (coupled with two third-place tallies) in four outings for the lifetime winner of $41,429.

With noted NYSS pilot Jim Morrill, Jr. handling the lines in race four, a division of Thursday’s $63,900 Excelsior Series for NY-bred freshman male members of the diagonal gait, JS Trotting Bob became Vernon’s fastest 2-year-old trotting gelding of 2013 after posting a 1:56.3 victory in the fourth race, that was just one second off the track’s 60-year standard for his category.  It marked the fourth tally in five starts for the bay son of Cr Excalibur-Cr Mimosa, who is trained by Arnie Marks and owned by the Kj LLC Stables.

Thursday’s other Excelsior series winners were Wild And Crazy Guy (Crazed-My Baby’s Momma) in 1:57.2, Cash Me Out (Cash Hall-China Victory) in 1:57.4), Winbak Glory (Malabar Man-Mink’s Glory) in 1:59.2 and General Bill Brown (Crazed-Dusty Girl) in1:59.3.

Thursday’s swiftest score was a career-best 1:50.3 victory for Let’s Go Higher in the $10,000 seventh race, the week’s Open contest for female pacers.  Morrill, Jr., who collected three wins during the evening’s 13-race card, did the steering for trainer Hedi Rohr and owner Jesse J. De Long.    

DOWNS DOINGS—Lukas Hall’s performance is the ninth Vernon record that has been tied or lowered during the track’s 60^thseason…The Traylor Racing Stable’s Cash Me Out is unbeaten after three career starts…Wild And Crazy Guy, Daley Lovin’ and General Bill Brown all collected their first pari-mutuel wins on Thursday night…Vernon’s annual “Corntastic Weekend” continues withFriday night’s corn-husking contest…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.