Newcomer Sharpshootennorris turned in the fastest trotting mile of the meet, while Chantal Hall captured the week’s featured distaff pace during Friday night’s (May 1) 11-race program at Vernon Downs

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Sharpshootennorris, a ship-in from Canada’s Woodbine Racetrack, survived a parked out journey en route to a 1:56.3 victory in Friday’s eighth event, the week’s $9,000 Open Trot. Roman Lopez did the teaming for trainer Tracy Brainard as the six-year-old gelding rallied from fourth at the quarter and third at the half before gaining the lead in the stretch. He still had enough grit and gusto in the lane to gain a ¾-length tally over the pocket-sitting Unshakeable.

Sharpshootennorris’s strong showing lowered the meet’s previous trotting standard by four-fifths of a second

Brainard, the 2008 training champ at Vernon with a single term record 101 first-place finishes, shares ownership of the two-time current winner with Gerard Stuchbury. It marked the 12th lifetime victory for the career winner of $234,543.

Chantal Hall’s 1:54 tally in Friday’s $9,000 sixth session was three-fifths of a second off the quickest pacing mile of the meet. Trainer Jimmy Whittemore did the driving for his dad, Dennis, as the four-year-old daughter of Pro Bono Best led throughout the week’s $9,000 top test for female sidewheelers and recorded a half-length triumph over Bet The Ranch. It was the first Vernon victory, but fifth season’s score for the career winner of $78,890.

Chip Zombick secured a pair of victories (the trotters Pilgrims Kassie and Stormont Wok) during the meet’s fifth program, while a pair of his owners, Michael and William Pozefsky, also made two trips to the track’s winner’s circle.

(Vernon Downs)