Mirragon A vaulted off cover to win the $11,806 Open Pace in seasonal-best style at Vernon Downs on Saturday, Oct. 31

John MacDonald sat Mirragon A in fourth while Primo Uomo (Leon Bailey) led to the quarter in :27.1 and half in :57.  Fear Romeo (Rock Vinci) came flying down the backside and took the lead to three quarters in 1:24.1 with Mirragon A following his cover. As they reached the stretch, Mirragon A came rushing three-wide and surged past his foes to win by two lengths in 1:51.2.  Merrow (Chris Long) came up to finish second, followed by Fear Romeo.

Mirragon A ($3.42), a 10-year-old gelding by Art Major-The Waratah, is now eight-for-28 this season for owners John Manning, Joel Warner and trainer Mike Deters. The gelding has won 45 times from 189 lifetime starts.

Later on the card, trainer Ashley Snyder scored her first career win as I B Lovin ($12.50) took the 10th race. Chris Long had the lines for the tempo-setting performance as the five-year-old So Surreal-Lovineveryminute gelding scored by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:54.1. Snyder co-owns him with Joseph Harrington. Snyder, a West Edmeston, N.Y. resident, got on the board in her sixth start after making her training debut on Oct. 23.

Chris Long drove three other winners on the 12-race card. In addition to I B Lovin, he finished first with Golden Endeavor ($6.58), Monis Heaven Cent ($4.08) and Valor ($2.56). John MacDonald had a driving triple and a training double. Trainer Michelle Warner also had a pair of wins, as did driver Leon Bailey.

Live racing returns to Vernon Downs returns on Friday, Nov. 6 with a post time of 5:05 p.m. 

(With files from Vernon Downs)