Visiting catch-driver Greg Merton put on a clinic at Vernon Downs on Saturday night winning five of the track’s 12 closing night races

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Merton, who had posted just seven Vernon scores this season prior to Saturday’s successful showing, earned a purse check in all but one of his 11 starts. His victories included a 1:51.4 performance with Captain Grin ($4.80) in the week’s $10,000 Open Pace.

Leaving from Post 1 in the featured ninth event, Captain Grin, the crowd wagering favourite, gained the lead after a :27.2 opening quarter, and then set sail through additional splits of :56.1 and 1:24 en route to a five length tally over the second betting choice, Four One One.

It was the second win in a row, fifth at the meet and 11th this season for the five-year-old son of Grinfromeartoear-Centerfold Hanover, who is trained by Tracy Brainard and owned by William Williams, Jr. and Arnie Marks.
The convincing victory raised the gritty gelding’s lifetime bankroll to $74,485.

Merton’s other triumphs came behind the pacers Whata Rock (1:53.2), Pickmeamerigold (1:56), Touch Of The Past ($1:53.4) and Drawback (1:55.3). He also charted a pair of second-place finishes, a third and two fourths.

Harvey Stein captured Saturday’s $3,500 leg of the C.K.G. Billing Series for amateur drivers of trotters with Onomatopoeia, a 12-year-old son of Googie-Damsel Spirit that he trains and leases.

Brainard recorded a pair of victories during the track’s 90th program, as did venerable conditioner Howard Okusko, Sr., and driver Chris Lems.

Vernon’s 56th season began on April 17. The pacer Bille Bella Chick, the meet’s only 10-time winning equine, was named Vernon’s Horse of the Year for 2009. Lonny Hale trains the five-year-old mare for Dr. Michael Kessler and the Speed To Burn Racing Stable.