Natameri earned his first victory of the season, delivering on his 1-2 pari-mutuel promise in this week's $11,644 Open Handicap Pace at Vernon Downs on Friday, May 8.
Merrow, who beat the favoured Natameri by a head last time, worked his way to the top from his outside assigned post for driver Chris Long and cleared that rival into the first turn, reaching the quarter in :26.2. But Natameri and driver Jeff Gregory looped to the lead heading down the backstretch and hit the half in :55.4 then clung to a short lead past three-quarters in 1:24.3 as Go With The Flow and Leon Bailey challenged around the final turn. As they reached the stretch, Natameri accelerated and widened his lead while Go With The Flow faded. The favourite won by two lengths in 1:52 flat with Bluesville and Ron Harp closing for second over Merrow.
Natameri paid $3.18 to win in his third start of the season. The eight-year-old son of American Ideal-Native Daughter is trained by Jessica Okusko and owned by Purple Haze Stables of Fairport, New York. The career winner of 32 races is just shy of $450,000 in purse earnings.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday, May 9 with post time at 5:05 p.m.
(Standardbred Canada with files from Vernon Downs)