Saratoga shipper An Artists Dream ($20.40) managed to escape the pocket in the final 150 yards of Friday (October 31) evening's featured $6,500 Four One One Pace for grey and roan horses at Vernon Downs, scoring a 1:52.2 minor upset.
Settling into the pocket amid a three-way pace battle with Ontario invader Zambuca Gass (John MacDonald) and top local mare Artic Byrd (Truman Gale), An Artists Dream tracked blistering early fractions of :26 and :54.2. While close to the fast pace, the five-year-old Admirals Galley gelding was boxed in on the far turn, as Artic Byrd commenced a first-over bid, applying pressure on Zambuca Gass through three-quarters in 1:23 and in upper stretch. With Artic Byrd flattening, Jimmy Whittemore was able to wedge An Artists Dream between rivals with 150 yards to go, taking the lead in deep stretch to beat the favoured Zambuca Gass by a widening one and a quarter lengths. The Grey Bullet (Joe Nassimos) made a late rally up the pegs to finish third off a ground-saving trip.
Ray Sharpe owns and trains An Artists Dream, now a six-time winner.
The race was named for Four One One, a 12-year-old grey pacer who was honoured earlier in the card with a special retirement ceremony. He and longtime trainer Wayne Hughes led the post parade for the evening's featured race.
The 2014 season at Vernon Downs wraps up on Saturday (November 1), with the first of 11 races scheduled for a special 6 p.m. EDT post time.
(Vernon Downs)