Brookroad Knight returned to his winning ways after posting the fastest clocking in the final division of Thursday night’s $37,200 New York Sires Stakes-sponsored late-closing contest for two-year-old male trotters

at Vernon Downs.

Competing over a “sloppy” track in the third and final flight of Thursday’s test for freshman representatives of the diagonal gait, Brookroad Knight idled in fourth as Leo Vincent cut a three-quarter-mile split in 1:29.2. With Dan Cappello, Jr. sitting in for trainer Bruce Borden, the bay son of CR Excalibur-Questionable closed from second at the top of the stretch (final quarter in :29 seconds), and out-hoofed the pocket-sitting Toga Town to the finish by one length.

The fast-closing, lifetime-best 1:58.4 effort resulted in the fourth win in the past five starts for the career-winner of $21,737, who is still owned by breeder John W. O’Connor.

Thursday’s other late-closing divisional victors were Hurrikane Brockton (Conway Hall-Global Possession), in 2:00.4 for driver Stephane Bouchard, trainer John Mc Dermott, and the Jeffrey Kuhen, Hurrikane Racing and Jonathan Klee ownership contingent; and New York Attitude (Cash Hall-Four Starz Nanny), in 2:01.3 with Chuck Connor, Jr. teaming for trainer John Hallett, and co-owners Michelle Hallett and L. Michelle Oglesby.

Thursday’s career-fastest tally was the third in succession for Hurrikane Brockton, while New York Attitude’s maiden-breaking performance improved his summary line to 1-1-3 after six starts.

Connor, Jr. recorded a double during the 12-race program after teaming Oceans Motion to a career-quickest 1:52 tally in Thursday’s $10,000 Open event for female pacers. It was the first win in two local tries, fifth current victory and 12th all-time score for the four-year-old daughter of Camotion-CR Charisma, who is trained by Janice Connor (Chuck’s wife) and owned by Robert Lovett.

(Vernon Downs)