Aaron Byron drove five winners on the 12-race card on Friday, Oct. 18 at Vernon Downs, including Open mare pacer P L Princess C.
Last through the first half-mile, P L Princess C circled a field of seven distaffers to win the evening's featured $11,644 Fillies & Mares Open Pace for Byron.
Won Surreal Deal (Chris Long) was first to the quarter in :26.2 then backed down the pace to the half in :55.3 and cruised to three-quarters in 1:24.1. As the field reached the stretch, Abby Rose (Tom Merton) slipped through on the inside and took the lead, but P L Princess C came flying three-wide like she was shot out of a cannon and blew right on by to win in 1:52.4. Abby Rose finished 2-1/2 lengths behind with Unusual Clarity (Ron Harp) third.
P L Princess C is a five-year-old mare by Thinking Out Loud out of Taylorlane Action. The Paul Long trainee earned her fourth straight win and has won back-to-back Open starts at Vernon after taking the top distaff pace in her last outing two weeks ago. The win was her ninth of the season from 23 races for owners Charlene and Jeff Long. She now has 19 career victories.
P L Princess C paid $9 to win as the 7-2 second choice.
Byron, whose driving wins included a stretch of four in a row, also had Friday photo ops with Miley Rose ($3) for trainer Michelle Warner, his own trainee Spittin Chicklets ($3.90), St Lads Dark Angel ($21) for Daniel Gassien and Primo Padre ($7.20) for Edgar Clarke.
Live harness racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 6:05 p.m.
Starting on Friday, Oct. 25, post time at Vernon will be at 3:05 p.m. for the rest of the season.
(With files from Vernon Downs)