Leon Bailey drove five winners, including City Of Hope in the $11,644 Open Handicap Trot, at Vernon Downs on Saturday, May 9.
City Of Hope ($8.20) was first to the quarter in :26.2, then yielded to Delayed Hanover (Chris Long) past that point and sat the pocket to the half in :55.1 and three-quarters in 1:24.3. As they entered the stretch, Delayed Hanover drifted out into the centre of the track and City Of Hope slipped through along the pylons and won going away by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:54.1. Zapaca (Frank Affrunti) finished third.
City Of Hope, a six-year-old gelding by Mets Hall-Doin The City, is owned by Philip Hale and trainer David Dewhurst. He is now 34-for-127 lifetime.
Bailey teamed up with trainer Joe Skowyra for wins with Triple Sevens ($2.88), Sunuma Beach ($3.88) and Bicorne Hanover ($6.94). Skowyra's triple upped his seasonal stats to 10-for-106. He is now third in the trainers' standings at Vernon.
The reinsman's other win came with Rockin Nelly ($8.56) as part of a Gary Gibson training double. Bailey, the leading driver at Vernon, has 89 wins in 508 starts across all tracks this year. He has 21 tallies at Vernon, giving him a lead of 13 over Jeff Gregory.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday with a post time of 5:05 p.m.
(With files from Vernon Downs)