Trainer Sherri Holliday brought the swift-footed pacers Boardmaster and Nifty Prescott to Vernon Downs on Saturday night and each captured a featured Open contest
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Boardmaster posted a gate-to-wire triumph in the $9,000 sixth race, Saturday’s top Open test, while Nifty Prescott followed suit with a front-striding effort in the $7,000 seventh session, the Open-2 confrontation.
Ken Holliday steered both speedy side-wheelers, each owned by Betty Tauber.
Boardmaster’s three-quarter length tally over the fast-closing Daley Deposit Only was his second locally and fifth of the season. His 1:52 clocking was just two-fifths of a second off the meet’s fastest mile through 24 programs. The five-year-old son of Blissful Hall-La Rousse Fantasia has 13 career victories and total earnings of more than $108,100.
Fresh off an Open win at Buffalo Raceway on June 6, Nifty Prescott defeated The Best by one length in a 1:53 performance that resulted in his initial local triumph, fourth on the campaign and 16 all-time. The five-year-old son of Million Dollar Cam-Shannon Déjà Vu increased his lifetime earnings to $126,618.
Ken Holliday also won with the John Roach-trained pacer Most Happy Keene to complete his first hat trick of the track’s 56th season.
Driver Howard Okusko, Jr. secured scores behind the pacers Waltrip Hanover (1:52.2) and Artist Stena (1:54.2) to increase his meet leading win total to 36, while Chris Lems, currently third on the track’s races-won chart, hiked his local victory count to 27 after first-place finishes behind the pacers Caesar Roddney (1:56.4) and Khaki’s Feather (1:55.1).
(Vernon Downs)