Dry Gulch became the meet’s initial two-time winning pacer following a 1:51.1 upset verdict over the season-debuting double millionaire One More Laugh in Saturday night’s featured $10,000 Open Pace
at Vernon Downs.
After a heavy downpour during the previous race turned the track’s condition to sloppy, Dry Gulch took the select Open field to the quarter in :27.2 and the half in :55.2. Biding his time in fourth during the early going, One More Laugh, with trainer Ray Schnittker in the bike, employed a sling-shot move off the first turn to gain the lead on the backstretch, and then paced the four-horse cast past three-quarters in 1:22.4. Only one and a quarter lengths back entering the homestretch, Dry Gulch ($10.20) became re-energized in the final sixteenth, powering back to the front and prevailing over the crowd’s choice by one length.
In addition to becoming the four-night meet’s first two-time winning pacer, the gritty four-year-old gelding gathered up his fifth victory in eight current outings. Jack Rice drove for trainer Tracy Brainard, who owns the career winner of $65,783 along with Andrew Herzog.
Stablemate Cello Hanover joined Fancy Shot as the meet’s only two-time winning trotters following a 1:58 decision in Saturday’s $4,000 eighth event.
(With files from Vernon Downs)
Actually Dry Gulch was the
Actually Dry Gulch was the meets second two time winner this season.
Cello Hanover was the first repeat winner 2 races prior.