Twenty two-year-olds contested a quartet of John Simpson Memorial events on Friday evening at Vernon Downs, with driver Chris Lems capturing two of the four stakes races on the night's 12-race card.
In the $25,080 Bret Hanover for pacing colts and geldings, Lems and Toddler Tantrum ($3.00) made an early push to the fore, drawing clear of pocket rival Cenovis (Jim Marohn, Jr.) on the far turn and holding off a late bid from War N Munn (Jimmy Whittemore) for a 1:54.4 triumph over sloppy going. Don Tiger and Birnam Wood Farms own the son of Western Terror, and Jessica Okusko handles the training duties.
Lems would have to wait until the eleventh race to complete his stakes double, sweeping late to a narrow victory in the $23,492 Razzle Hanover for pacing fillies with Major Millie ($25.00). The daughter of Art Major tracked the top pair through a relaxed early pace, swinging wide off the far turn and charging late to collar Cut And Paste (Marohn) and Wine Snob (Mike Simons) for a 1:55.2 victory. Erv Miller trains Major Millie for Howard Schneidler's KDM Stables.
On the trotting side of the docket, Dan Daley trainees swept the top two spots in the $25,680 Super Bowl for colts and geldings. Smalltownthrowdown ($7.00, Daley, part of entry) took advantage of a pocket trip, holding off his entry-mate Royal Bachelor (Fern Paquet, Jr.) for a 1:57 triumph. The son of Cash Hall is owned by the partnership of Daley, Crawford, Lombardo, and Brenner.
In the $23,492 Davidia Hanover for trotting fillies, Radiant Beam ($4.40) pulled the pocket and kicked clear for a 3-1/2 length triumph. Jim Marohn, Jr. drove the daughter of Holiday Road to a 1:58.4 victory for trainer Andrew Harris and owner Arrhythmic LLC, defeating Dame Edna (D.R. Ackerman) and I Will Take Credit (Daley).
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday evening, with the first of 11 races due off at 6:45 p.m.
(Vernon Downs)