It doesn’t seem to matter who drives Vel Larry, because the horse keeps winning. Aaron Hall got the call this week in the $$9,722 Winners Over Pace at First Tracks Cumberland on Sunday, April 12, and the result was the same.
Grabbing his fourth win in nine seasonal outings and second straight victory at Cumberland, the seven-year-old son of Hes Gorgeous-Ejs Copperstone took the pocket trip route to the winner’s circle this time out.
Leaving swiftly from his mid-car position, Hall opted to release the hard-charging 8-5 second choice, Lifes A Puzzle (Nick Graffam), who scampered to the top from post seven into a snappy :27.3 opening panel. As Graffam and Lifes A Puzzle got a breather heading to the half in :57.3, the outer flow started to materialize from the back of the pack. However, with the tail-gunners failing to improve their positions down the backstretch for the final time, it was Tobins Burke (Dave Ingraham) who asserted himself first-over, with Vel Larry eager to tip while headed to the 1:26.3 third station.
Around the final turn, Hall found some daylight and gave the 3-2 favourite his marching orders, and within a few steps Vel Larry had collared the pacesetter. Down the lane, Vel Larry hit his best stride and put 2-3/4 lengths between himself and his closest competitor scoring in 1:56.1, a seasonal best. Hypnoticdream (McGwire Sowers) finished a fast-closing second while Lifes A Puzzle was third.
Trained this year by Christopher DuBois for owner Ettore Annunziata Revocable Trust of Mahopac, New York, Vel Larry has won twice with Greg Merton at Monticello Raceway and last week at Cumberland with McGwire Sowers at the controls before his Hall-driven score on Sunday. He returned $5 to win.
Racing resumes on Saturday, April 18 for another weekend of live harness racing action.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)