Rocks N Bagels scored her fourth victory from four Vernon Downs starts this season on Friday night, winning the $8,500 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap Pace. However, she did not have an easy time of it at all in the one-mile pace, having to overcome being parked outside during the majority of the mile.
The early pacesetter was Love You Bye, who took the lead almost immediately and dictated matters through solid opening fractions of :27.4 for the quarter, :56.2 for the half, and 1:24 for three-quarters. Market Dynamics waited patiently behind the leader before trying to make a move of her own at the top of the stretch. This move forced Rocks N Bagels to try and rally three-wide through the stretch, which she did with a perfectly-timed drive from John MacDonald. The final time for the mile was 1:52.1. Love You Bye stubbornly held off Market Dynamics and persevered to finish second. The other finishers were Artic Byrd (fourth) and Got The Munchies (fifth).
Rocks N Bagels is owned by Kelly Dawn Hope of Vernon, New York and trained by Jordan Hope.
The driving star of the rainy and chilly Friday night at Vernon Downs was Rick Plano, who picked up four victories on the evening. Plano won the third race with Carousel Hall, the fourth race with Natural Woman N, the seventh race with Ziegler Hanover, and the ninth race with Ella V Horse. Plano doubles as the trainer on three of these winners. The only winner he didn't have double duty on was Ziegler Hanover.
Live racing resumes at Vernon Downs on Saturday night with a nine-race program, starting at 6:45 p.m. There will be a fireworks display in honour of the Memorial Day holiday weekend following the conclusion of the live racing program.
(With files from Vernon Downs)