Vivid Photo shook off a slow start to his 2009 season with a winning performance in Tuesday night’s featured $25,000 Open Handicap trot at Pocono Downs

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The 2005 Hambletonian champion and earner of over $3 million in his career, Vivid Photo had come up empty in four starts at The Meadows and Dover Downs in 2009. Leaving from the outside post in a field of six as the 1-2 favourite on Tuesday night, the seven-year-old gelding took over the lead from Sauce Two K around the first turn of the race. From there, he was rated well in rainy conditions by trainer/driver Roger Hammer, and had plenty left to hold off Sauce Two K by a length in 1:55:4 on a track listed as good. Eagle Prayer finished third.

Owned by Hammer of Bedford and Todd Schadel of Gratz, Pennsylvania, Vivid Photo, sired by S Js Photo, won for the 38th time in 87 lifetime starts. The winning share of the purse pushed his career earnings to over $3.034 million.

(With files from Pocono Downs)