RD Blues Wins Sloppy Thursday Feature

RD Blues took advantage of the pylon path to post a 1:58.1 victory in Thursday night's $4,300 feature for female pacers at Vernon Downs.

With Jack Rice doing the teaming, RD Blues ($6.10) drafted along in the pocket behind the pace-setting Won Night Stand until the stretch drive, then slipped through along the inside and eked out a neck tally on a "sloppy" track.

Thursday's tally was the first locally, the fourth this season and 12th all-time for the 5-year-old daughter of Park Place-Rainy Day Blues.

Maria Rice (Jack's wife) conditions the career winner of more than $110,000 for the Rice Racing Stable and the Brothers IV Stable.

Rick Plano delivered three winners during Thursday's nine-race card, earning his eighth Vernon hat-trick this year and increasing his win total to 78 and taking over second-place in the track's driver standing from Frank Milby, who has 76.

Jimmy Whittemore is the current leader with 98.

DOWNS DOINGS - Provisional driver Mickey Holiday earned his first local victory behind Ashley Holiday's pacer Lyonsmontanajune, trained by Sherri Holiday, in Thursday's second race. It was his third career victory... Malevich Hanover and Enlightened each recorded their fifth Vernon victories on Thursday, one behind the current trotting win-leaders Canouan and DL Cruiser... The pacers Hay Goodlooking and Rosa Villa are the co-winningest equines at the 82-program meeting with seven scores apiece... Friday night's 10-race card will include the $200,500 Kindergarten Classic final for 2-year-old male trotters in race five, the $182,500 KC championship contest for filly trotters in race seven and a $10,000 Open trot in race eight... Only eight more live programs remain in the track's 58th season... The Downs will now switch to a Friday-Saturday schedule only, ending its 58th campaign on Nov. 19. First post each night will be at 6:55... Additional information regarding the track's 2011 season, its casino and newly-renovated hotel can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com, and on Facebook.