An impressive winner in his last local appearance, Natameri delivered as expected in $11,806 Open Pace on Saturday, Nov. 2 at Vernon Downs, one of for wins on the card for trainer Jessica Okusko.

Natameri ($2.30) went straight to the front for driver John MacDonald and never looked back. After a :26.1 opening panel, Primo Uomo (Tom Merton) came first-up to challenge heading down the backstretch and battled for the lead as Natameri reached the half first in :54.2.  Natameri shook off that challenge and led to three-quarters in 1:22.1.

Lanjo Lee (Leon Bailey) went all out after the lead turning for home but Natameri was too strong and won by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51.  Lanjo Lee stayed for second with Primo Uomo in third.

Natameri is a six-year-old horse by American Idea owned by Purple Haze Stable.  It was his sixth win this season, bringing him up to 26 career victories with more than $367,000 in earnings.

Okusko got her other wins earlier on the card with Bold Express (1:55.1; $2.30) in the fourth, Rock Solid Express (1:52.4; $3.40) in the sixth, and Syracuse Express (1:54.1; $4.80) in the eighth. Her four victories now provide an eight-win cushion over Claude Huckabone III atop the 2024 training leaderboard at Vernon Downs.

Vernon Downs returns to live harness racing on Friday, Nov. 8 with first post time — as it is for the rest of the season — at 3:05 p.m. 

(with files from Vernon)