Tomy Terror took more than two seconds off the Vernon Downs track record for two-year-old pacing geldings with his 1:50.2 effort in the John Simpson Memorial on Friday evening.
The son of Western Terror-Mib Hanover tracked entrymate Gold Coast Muscle (Mike Simons) through sizzling middle fractions of :54.1 and 1:22, pulling the pocket off the far turn and vaulting to the fore. Chased home by Bet You (Brett Miller) and Hall Of Terror (Mark MacDonald), Tomy Terror and Corey Callahan prevailed by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:50.2.
John Butenschoen trains Tomy Terror for owners William Wiswell, Jeah Goehlen, Eugene Schick, and the VIP Internet Stable.
Two other Butenschoen trainees were victorious in their Simpson divisions, both in divisions for freshman trotting colts and geldings. Boots N Chains ($4.60, Callahan, 1:54.4) and Explosive Drama ($36.60, Simons, 1:56.1) rounded out the Butenschoen training hat trick.
Butenschoen's attempt to sweep the trio of male trotting divisions with Suit and Tie was thwarted by none other than Centurion ATM ($2.10). After rated patiently by trainer-driver Åke Svanstedt off the top pair through a :56.4 half mile, the son of SJs Caviar-ENS Tag Session began his move in the final three-eighths, taking over in upper stretch and holding off a late closing Sixteen Encores (Callahan) in 1:54.2. Centurion ATM, the Peter Haughton Memorial winner, was well in hand approaching the post, winning by 1-1/4 lengths with much in reserve.
Rounding out the Simpson winners for the evening were trotting fillies Model Behavior ($44.60, Simons, 1:55.1) and Deli Royal ($32.00, Jimmy Whittemore, 1:57.2) who both proved upset winners, while the lone event for pacing fillies ended in a 1:52.1 dead-heat between Deli Beach ($4.60, John Campbell) and Heart Major ($4.50, Joe Pavia, Jr.).
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday (October 25), with the first of 13 races scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
(Vernon Downs)