Western Tsunami continued his strong late-season showing with a 1:52 victory in Saturday night’s $10,000 Open Handicap Pace at Vernon Downs

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With Greg Merton doing the driving for trainer Tracy Brainard, Western Tsunami ($4.30), favoured in the seven-horse eighth race field, advanced from fifth at the quarter, fourth at the half and second entering Vernon’s lengths lane. The six-year-old son of Western Hanover-Rons Girl powered home in a :26.4 final quarter to defeat the on-rushing Daley Deposit Only (Dan Daley) by a neck.

It marked the third Open victory since September 7 and the fourth score at the meet for the gritty gelding, who is registered to the Just Luck Stable. He now sports 25 career wins and more than $146,000 in lifetime earnings.

Merton and Jimmy Whittemore were the evening’s sulky standouts, the former posting a pair of first-place finishes during the nine-race card, while the latter recorded his fourth four-win outing at the meet.

Merton also won with the pacer Rodeo Man, who turned in a 1:56.3 effort for trainer Anthony Gugliotta, Jr. and owner Todd Santoro in Saturday’s second race.

Whittemore, the meet’s top dash-winning reinsman, captured the fourth (Mobile, 1:53), fifth (Turbo Torque A, 1:55.3), sixth (Outlaw Blues, 1:53) and ninth (Townie Guy, 1:57) events to increase his total tallies through 79 programs to 108.

Defending conditioning champ Brainard holds a 62-61 edge over Jessica Okusko with 11 programs remaining in Vernon’s 90-card campaign.

Driver Bill Bailey, teaming the pacer New York Scooter, was unseated in a third-race mishap, but returned to compete in next event.

(Vernon Downs)