To Beach His Own reset the Vernon Downs current speed standard to 1:50.4 with his dominating victory in Saturday night’s 10th race as driver-trainer Ray Schnittker completed a second-leg sweep of the new Anthony J. Farina Memorial Pacing Series.
Schnittker, who captured the opening Farina flight with Red Rock in race one, roared back in the final elimination round with To Beach His Own to not only pin a fresh win mark on the fleet-footed youngster, but also come within three-fifths of a second of the track record for three-year-old gelding pacers.
The sizzling score was the first win in six current outings and the second lifetime tally for the bay son of Rocknroll Hanover-Beachy Lady, who is shared in ownership by Schnittker, Theodore Gewertz, Dean Davis and Steven Arnold.
Schnittker, who has recorded three doubles at the six night meet, is also a partner, with Dr. John M. Egloff, in Red Rock, who secured a 1:52.2 win-mark and his third triumph in four seasonal outings. Two of the sophomore gelding’s tallies have come in the Farina series.
Earlier in Saturday’s 13-race program, the pacers Ourea Nourrir and Western Trademark had each lowered the track’s current speed standard to 1:51.4 with their respective scores in races six and nine.
Veteran trainer Tracy Brainard harnessed three Saturday winners, the trotter Tioga Thunder (1:56.3), as well as the pacers Ourea Nourrir and Our Ella (1:55.1).
In addition to Schnittker, Saturday doubles were secured by drivers Brian Connor, John MacDonald and trainer Lonny Hale.
The Farina series championship race will be conducted, as will the final of the Catherine Burton Memorial Trotting Series, during next Saturday’s Vernon program, which is slated to begin with a special 5:10 p.m. Kentucky Derby day post time.
(Vernon Downs)