Thirty-six-year-old local horseman Claude Huckabone, III achieved his 2,000th career driving victory during Saturday night’s 10-race program at Vernon Downs
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Huckabone, son of Vernon veteran Claude Huckabone, Jr., converted a pocket-sitting trip behind his pacer Deau Best into a memorable 1:55.4 triumph in the second session.
Huckabone, who grew up in Vernon’s backstretch and posted his initial driving victory at Vernon, realized his 1,000th lifetime win at Monticello Raceway in 2004.
“This is a nice milestone in my chosen career,” said the personable Utica, New York native. “I’m glad I got this one here at Vernon, where it all began.”
Huckabone, who also finished first with Lu Ann Huckabone’s pacer Willfully in Saturday’s fifth race and the pacer Joans Bad Boy, owned by Bennett Velocci and John Alutto, Jr., in the sixth race, increased his win total for the meet to 47.
Touch Of The Past ($4.70) closed from fourth in the final quarter and displayed the most lick in the lane to record a 1:52.3 victory in Saturday’s top $10,800 Miracle Mile pacing contest. Joe Nassimos did the teaming for trainer Howard Okusko, Sr. as betting favourite Touch Of The Past earned his sixth season’s score and 15th lifetime victory. Rocco Manzi and Paul Tandlmayer own the career-winner of more than $68,000.
In other action, Tioga Thunder, the first youngster to be named by the fans in Tioga Downs’s “Name That Colt” contest a couple of years back, earned his maiden victory with owner and trainer Adam Capizzano doing the driving in Saturday’s opening event.
(With files from Vernon Downs)