Fancy Shot became the first two-time winner of the 58th season at Vernon Downs after his 1:55.4 performance in Friday night’s $10,000 Open trotting test
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Defending dash-winning driving champ Jimmy Whittemore sat in for two-time training titleist Tracy Brainard as Fancy Shot ($3.20) trotted into the lead past the half, timed in :59 seconds, and then high-stepped on to a convincing two and a quarter lengths win over Unshakeable in Friday’s ninth race.
It was the fourth win in 10 current outings for the quick-footed nine-year-old gelding, who increased his career earnings to more than $273,000. The bay son of Angus Hall-Fancy Fancy Fancy is owned by Brainard and Andrew Herzog.
The win was one of four during Friday’s 12-race card for Whittemore, and it also helped Brainard bag four first-place finishers as well.
The same ownership duo was credited with a victory in Friday’s $10,000 Open contest for female pacers after their five-year-old mare Semjac Legacy (Jack Rice) logged a 1:54.1 score in the very next race. The come-from-behind triumph was the third in 12 season’s showings for the lifetime winner of nearly $200,000, who was making her initial local appearance of 2011.
Brainard’s other Friday winners were the trotters Ivanhoe Diamant (1:56.2) and Boy Meets Grill (1:55.2), while Whittemore’s additional tallies came behind the pacers Faith Ann (1:57.1), Canaco Star (1:54.2) and Delightful Dancer (1:54.3).
Two-time millionaire One More Laugh (1:47.4) will make his 2011 debut in Saturday night’s (April 23) 10th race, the week’s $10,000 Open Pace. His competition will include Vlos, Dry Gulch, Diamond Stick Pin, Four One One and Firethorn. Saturday’s 12-race line-up begins at 7 p.m.
(With files from Vernon Downs)