John MacDonald guided Jaclyn Hanover ($4.40) to a victory in Friday's featured $7,500 fillies and mares pace and drove four more winners on the night at Vernon Downs.
In the Friday feature, Mydelight Bluechip (Ben McNeil) jumped out to the early lead and controlled all the early fractions (:27, :56.4, 1:24.3). Jaclyn Hanover followed in the pocket almost the whole way around the oval. Owned and trained by MacDonald, she popped the pocket in deep stretch to overtake second-place finisher Mydelight Bluechip to win in 1:53.1. Blameitonthenight (Jimmy Whittemore) was third.
Jaclyn Hanover is a six-year-old mare by Dragon Again. The win was her seventh of the season and her 20th career victory.
MacDonald's five wins put him just two victories behind leading driver Jimmy Whittemore. MacDonald got his other wins with Dry Creek Gin ($4.20), Truth Isalwaybest ($3.70), Late Shift ($6.10) and American Sweet Pea ($12.20). Whittemore had a driving double. He notched his victories with Executive Decision ($4) and Rockin Deo ($9.90).
(With files from Vernon Downs)