Newcomer Arockin Hanover, who shipped in from Saratoga and was sent off as the second choice, captured the $12,000 Open Pace during Saturday night’s 13-race program at Vernon Downs.
As the favourite Sheer Brilliance cut fast fractions of :26.3, :55 and 1:22.4, Arockin Hanover drafted along back in fourth place. Entering the homestretch, Arockin Hanover revved up to not only overtake the pace-setter, but draw off to win by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:51.
The fast-closing finish by the speedy five-year-old gelding resulted in his second win in succession, eighth this season and 20th all time. Truman Gale did the driving for trainer Jason Robinson as the bay son of Rocknroll Hanover-Artaffection raised his career bankroll to more than $377,000 for owner Robert D. Main.
Entering Saturday’s $4,500 fourth event as the Vernon record-holder for a 7/8ths-mile clockwise pace off a 1:42.3 effort in 2011, Noble Wabbit rallied overland from fifth in the early going, advanced to third entering the stretch and then powered home to defeat the pocket-sitting Prince Polaris by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:39. It was the first win in 2013 for the 10-year-old bay gelding, but his 37th lifetime score. MacDonald did the teaming for trainer George Ducharme and owner Heather Reese as the productive son of Precious Bunny-Noble Lady Avalon increased his lifetime earnings to $154,487.
Truman Gale, for the second time during the 86-card Downs campaign, collected four wins on a single program, while it marked the first occasion for John MacDonald, a newcomer to the track this season.
Dave Dewhurst, the meet’s second-leading trainer with 37 tallies, also harnessed two first-place finishers during the rainy evening.
(Vernon Downs)