Whittemore, Plano post driving triples on Friday Night

Leading drivers Chris Lems, Rick Plano and Jimmy Whittemore all benefited from successful showings during Friday night's 10-race program at Vernon Downs.

Lems led the way with the trotters Royalty For Life (1:58.4) and Danijill (1:57) in events one and three, respectively, while posting his sixth two-win outing at the 27-program meeting.

Defending champ Whittemore and Plano, last year's runner-up, each produced three victories on a single Vernon program for the fifth time during the track's 59^th season.

Whittemore won with the trotter Hall Of Mirrors (1:59.4) in the second stanza, the pacer Donna Party (1:54.2) in race seven and trotter Cedarridgetag (1:56.4) in the eighth event, while Plano finished first with the trotter She's All In (1:56.l) in the sixth session, the pacer The Bruiser (1:55.4) in the ninth race and capped off the program with a score behind the trotter Nowerland Nathan (1:57.4) in race 10.

At evening's end, Lems held a 44-42 advantage over Plano, and a 12-win bulge over Whittemore atop the track's dash-winning standings.

DOWNS DOINGS—Royalty For Life, trained by George Ducharme for owners Raymond W. J. Campbell, Jr. and Alfred Ross, became the initial 2-year-old winning trotter in pari-mutuel competition at the Downs this season…Royalty For Life , Hall Of Mirrors and The Bruiser all earned their initial career victories on Friday…Provisional pilot Leslie Hale hung up his third tally of the meet after a 1:59 showing behind his trotter B Cor Janett in Friday's fifth event…Live racing will resume at 6:55 p.m. tomorrow night…Vernon will present a special Tuesday card (first post 6:55 p.m.) on July 3, followed by a  fireworks show…The track will also offer a 1:15 matinee program on Wednesday, July 4…There will be no live racing on Thursday, July 5 due to a concert by "America" at the track…Live racing will resume at 6:55 p.m. on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7…Starting July 11, Vernon will add Wednesday nights (first post 6:55) to its live racing schedule in July and through August 29....Additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.