Michael Polansky's Waiting On A Woman ($7.80) waited on no one in Friday (October 7) evening's featured $9,100 top-level trotting event at Vernon Downs, evading his five rivals and giving driver Chris Lems one of five wins on the 10-race program.
The Northern Bailey gelding, who had most recently been racing in upper-level events at the Meadowlands, Pocono, and Plainridge, worked to secure the pocket from his inside post before switching off the pegs and clearing 8-5 favourite Lucid Thoughts (John MacDonald) just after a :28 first quarter. Waiting On a Woman would maintain complete control of the terms from that point, rating a :58.1 middle half before accelerating away at head-stretch. The Kyle Spagnola trainee ultimately edged clear of Lucid Thoughts by two and a quarter lengths for his 55th career win, while Kahoku (Truman Gale) held third off a ground-saving stalking trip.
Waiting On a Woman's 1:54.1 mile earned him the fourth win of his eight-year-old campaign.
In addition to his victory in the feature, Lems teamed up with 13-year-old Grecale As ($9.60, 1:56.4), Engagedatlexington ($6.60, 1:57.1), Airman Batten ($3.10, 1:54.1), and and Hollywood Jess ($4.60, 1:57.2).
(With files from Vernon Downs)