Don't Blame Her ships in to win Thursday's Fillies and Mares Open Pace

Don't Blame Her wins the Thursday feature

The productive pacing mare Don't Blame Her unleashed a strong stretch kick to win her Vernon Downs debut in 1:52 during Thursday night's $10,000 featured eighth event.

Saratoga regular Joe Bongiorno did the teaming for trainer Brad Irvine in Thursday's Open for female proponents of the lateral gait as Don't Blame Her rallied from fourth at the half and closed from second in a :27.2 final quarter to defeat the on-rushing Xenia Hanover by a head.

Thursday's tally was the fourth this season and the 55^th all-time for the 10-year-old daughter of Village Connection-Never My Fault, a career-winner of nearly $776,000 that is owned by Robert F. and Barbara Bongiorno.

Leading driver Rick Plano continued his productive ways during Thursday's 11-race card.  The 61-year-old horseman collected three first-place finishes that bumped his total at the 66-program meet to 120.  One of his scores was a 1:58.2 mile behind the 2-year-old pacing filly Purty Hanover in the fourth race that became her "maiden" victory.  The Donato Hanover-offspring now sports a 1-1-1 performance line after four pari-mutuel starts for trainer David Mcginnis and owners Cully Mcginnis and Alan Hyatt. 

DOWNS DOINGS—Roman Lopez, Plano's main rival in this year's dash-winning derby, earned his 80^th victory after teaming the Joseph Duh-owned-and-trained pacer Another Judy to a 1:55 score in Thursday's 10^th event…Live racing continues with 12 races on Friday, including a $10,000 Open trot in race nine, and a 13-event program on Saturday, that offers a $10,000 Open pace in race two.  First post each night will be at 6:45 p.m…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.

Gimme The Loot wins C.K.G. Billings Series Trot at Vernon Downs

Gimme The Loot and Robert Krivelin

Gimme The Loot and driver Robert Krivelin gained a victory in the non-betting C.K.G. Billings Series leg for amateur drivers of trotters; JK Panache and The Triple Lindy captured the top pari-mutuel pace and trot, respectively; Gary P. Clark emerged as the track's leading provisional pilot, while Jimmy Whittemore posted four first-place finishes for the second straight evening during Saturday's 14-race program at Vernon Downs.

Racing for the first time in 2013, Gimme The Loot logged a 1:59.4 triumph in the Billing contest that took place prior to Saturday's 65^th betting card.  The spunky 8-year-old gelding raced at or near the lead throughout and closed from second in the stretch to defeat Northmedo Wine Guy, and driver Matt Zuccarello, by three-quarters of a length.  Thomas Di Bartolo conditions the career-winner of $190,948 for owner Alessandro Spano.

JK Panache, a two-time track record-setter at the Downs this season, powered his way to a 1:51.3 score in Saturday's $8,000 seventh race, earning his fifth local tally, seventh season's score and 15^th lifetime victory.

Whittemore did the teaming for trainer Dave Dewhurst, an owner of the 4-year-old pacing gelding along with Philip K. Hale.

The Triple Lindy became a two-time winner at the meet with a 1:54.1 career-best clocking in the $7,000 10^th event.  Brian Mattison urged the 5-year-old trotting gelding into the lead entering the final quarter, and the brown son of Credit Winner held on to secure his 11^th lifetime victory for owner and trainer Paul Kelley and his partners Stephen G. Michaels, Jim Winske and William B. Weaver, III.

Part-owner Clark (with Fay E. Clark) steered the 4-year-old pacing mare New York Kitty to a 1:54.1 triumph in Saturday's $4,000 eighth event that gave the 46-year-old horseman a 3-2 lead over Josh Kinney and Justin Huckabone in this year's provisional drivers' derby at the track.

Whittemore, a three-time former Vernon dash-winning champion, enjoyed his fifth four-win outing of the track's 60^th anniversary season, while hiking his three night victory total for the weekend to nine.  The 29-year-old teamster currently sits third on this season's race-winning chart with 77 first-place finishes.

Leading driver (117 wins) and trainer (46 tallies) Rick Plano won two races during Saturday's pari-mutuel card, as did Mattison, Kelley and driver/trainer Claude Huckabone, III.

DOWNS DOINGS—The Downs will continue its Thursday-Saturday live racing schedule next week, with first post time at 6:45 p.m…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.

Whittemore and Plano combine for 7 wins on Friday's 10-race card

Drivers Jimmy Whittemore and Rick Plano enjoyed hot outings during a rather chilly Friday at Vernon Downs, winning seven of the evening's 10 races.

Whittemore, a three-time Vernon driving kingpin, captured four races for the fourth time during the track's 60^th anniversary season.  One of his first-place finishes was behind Bettor In Jeans, who delivered his first pari-mutuel victory with a hard-fought 1:56.2 photo-finish decision (over the gritty Stoney'sstorminway) in Friday's ninth race, that established him as the fastest 2-year-old pacing gelding at the 64-program meeting.  The determined youngster's success gives the bay son of Bettor's Delight-Heatherjeankilllean a 1-1-2 summary line after six lifetime starts.  Vernon veteran Keith Cluff conditions the promising prospect for the Morrisville College Foundation.

Plano, the track's driving and training leader for the second straight season, piloted three winners during the evening, including a 1:55 career-best tally behind the 5-year-old trotting mare Here Comes Annie in Friday's seventh session.  Owner Andy Gardner trains the bay daughter of Here Comes Herbie-Anne Pancroft, who became a two-time winner at the meet.

Plano also directed the 2-year-old pacing filly Aritzia Hanover to a 1:57.4 "maiden" victory in Friday's second race for trainer Sam Serianni, and the Ed Namiotka, Jr., Ken Jacobs, and Slo-Downs Stable ownership group.

DOWNS DOINGS—Through Sept. 13, Plano leads in driving wins with 115 and training tallies with 44…Owner/trainer (along with his wife Diane) Ron Harp has driven four winners in the past three programs at the Downs, including the trotter Crazy Over You in Friday's third race…The Downs will present a 13-race card starting at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday night (Sept. 14)…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.

Maud Blue Chip and Exotic Form take New York Sire Stakes on Thursday night

The favorite Maud Blue Chip continued her winning ways with a career-best 1:58 performance in a division of Thursday night's $109,124 New York Sires Stakes feature for 2-year-old filly trotters at Vernon Downs.

Maud Blue Chip and Tyler Buter

Competing against eight eager rivals over a rain-affected good track in Thursday's ninth race, Maud Blue Chip rallied from fourth at the half to become a challenging second entering the final quarter.  With Tyler Buter doing the teaming for trainer Chuck Sylvester, the steady-striding brown filly turned on the speed in the stretch and defeated Market Rally by 1-3/4 lengths.  It was the third straight NYSS score, and the fourth win (coupled with a pair of third-place finishes) in six starts for the quick-footed daughter of Credit Winner-Queen of the Moor, who increased her winnings to $126,639 for owners Melvin Hartman, David H. Mc Duffee and Jeff Gural's Little E LLC stable.

Thursday's other NYSS winner was Exotic Form, a representative of the Dan Dailey Stable entry, who also closed late to post a 1:58.2 lifetime-fastest tally in the sixth session.  Claude Huckabone, III was at the controls for Daley as the opportunistic bay filly overtook the favorite, Gammy's Girl, in the final furlong and secured a three-quarter length score, her second NYSS win in succession and third (coupled with a second-place finish and a third) in seven official outings.  The fast and fit daughter of Malabar Man-Form Fitting increased her earnings to $103,045 for the Winbak Farm. 

Thursday's 12-race program also included three divisions of a $38,200 Excelsior Series contest for state-bred frosh-filly high-steppers.  The winners were Ski To The Max (Conway Hall-Enjoy The Sun) in 1:59.3 for driver and trainer Gates Brunet and the Theodore Gewertz,  Y. Jean Brunet and Deborah Brunet ownership contingent; Emiliana (Cash Hall-Monalisa Can) in 1:59.3 with Chris Long teaming for trainer Jim Graham and owner Lisa Wyatt, and Holly's Lightning (Conway Hall-Indigo Sakra) in 2:00.2 for driver/trainer Sam Schillaci and owner Greg Martin.

The crowd's choice Billmar Scooter, making just her second local appearance, delivered a 1:51.2 triumph in Thursday's $10,000 second race, the week's Open distaff pace.  The hard-hitting 8-year-old mare rallied from fourth in the final quarter to defeat Love You Bye, last week's victor in this class, by two lengths.  It was the fifth current victory and 38^th all-time for the bay daughter of Keystone Raider-Its Scooter Time, who is owned by driver Tyler Buter, trained by Amber Buter and owned by the Oldford Farms.

In addition to Tyler Buter's driving double, reinsman Chris Lems collected his meet-leading 19^th two-win credit during the track's 63^rd program of 2013.  

DOWNS DOINGS—The Peter Carney-conditioned trotter Rattle On (2:02.1) and Holly's Lightning (2:00.2) each earned their first pari-mutuel victories during Thursday's card…The Downs will present a 10-race program starting at 6:45 on Friday night…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.

NYSS Filly Trot at Vernon

The New York Sire Stakes two-year-old filly trotters bring their act to Vernon for Thursday's races. Two full fields of nine face the starter with the purse for each at $54,562. 

Race six is the first division and features a pair of fillies from the Dan Daley barn racing as a coupled entry. 

Exotic Form is by Malabar Man and trained by Dan for Winbak Farms. She is twice a winner in NYSS action from six starts with impressive 2:00.3 wins at Batavia and Saratoga on her resume. Claude Huckabone III will drive her, while Daley has the mount on her entry mate.

Flyhawk Falina (Cash Hall) has also won twice and picked up more than $75,000 on the year for owners Joe Pennacchio, Ann-Mari Daley and Mike White. 

Maud Blue Chip leads the second split for Hall Of Fame trainer Chuck Sylvester. This Credit Winner lass has more than $87,000 in the bank for Mel Hartman, David Mc Duffee and Little E, LLC on the season on the strength of three wins in NYSS competition. Tyler Buter is listed to drive on Thursday.

 
Three divisions of Excelsior events for the same division support the Sire Stakes races. With the NYSS finals now just a few weeks away, the points may be viewed by following this link. 

Post time at Vernon on Thursday is 6:45pm.