The speedy veteran Scorpion Moon recorded the fastest trotting mile of the season en route to his 78th career victory in Friday night’s $10,000 featured ninth race

at Vernon Downs.

Leaving from the outside nine post, Scorpion Moon ($5.00) shot right to the front and beat back all challenges on the way to a 1-3/4 lengths decision over the pocket-sitting Aruba Vacation in the week’s Open-1 trotting contest.

Jack Rice did the steering for trainer Tracy Brainard as the 10-year-old son of Armbro Scorpion-Angies Nugget logged his second win at the meet and raised his career earnings to more than $859,000 with the 1:53.4 decision. Brainard owns the bay battler along with Andrew Herzog.

Brainard, the defending training champ, earned another first place credit when the trotter Queen Creek that she also owns with Herzog captured the evening’s 10th race in a lifetime best 1:55.1 performance for driver Frank Milby.

(Vernon Downs)