Huckabone III Sweeps Vernon Features
Sea Harrier took the $6,000 co-featured pace at Vernon Downs on Saturday, June 30.
Golden Gun set the pace for the first three-quarters of the mile, going fractions of :27.0, :55.2 and 1:23.4. Sea Harrier was fifth after three-quarters but rallied in the stretch and blew right by to win in 1:52.0. Serious Major was second best and Golden Gun held on for third.
Sea Harrier is an eight-year-old gelding by Jeremes Jet. Owned by Go Where Is Stable and trained and driven by Claude Huckabone III, he won for the third time this season and the 25th time in his career. He paid $10.80 to win.
Huckabone III came back to win the other $6,000 co-featured event with Redhot Romeo.
Poisonous and Maradona battled back and forth all the way to the top of the stretch. Poisonous led them to a first quarter in :26.2. Mardona controlled the next half mile, going splits of :54.4 and 1:23.1. Poisonous re-took the lead at the top of the stretch.
Redhot Romeo was last after three-quarters. Owned by Go Where The Money Is Stable and trained by Huckabone III, he passed them all by flying down the stretch to win in a lifetime best of 1:51.3. Prince Pinang finished second with Card Knock Life getting third place.
Redhot Romeo is a four-year-old gelding by Shadow Play. It was his seventh win this season and career victory number eight.
Jimmy Whittemore leads all driver with 41 wins this season. Defending champion John MacDonald is second with 37 wins.
Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Wednesday, July 4 with a nine-race card starting at 6:10 p.m. Fireworks follows live racing.
(With files from Vernon Downs)