First Call and driver Homer Hochstetler captured Friday’s $7,000 featured trot at Vernon Downs, and they did most of the road work en route to nabbing the win.
First Call ($34.40) led to the first quarter in :27.1 and was first at the halfway point in :57.4. Spoiler Alert then took control just before hitting three-quarters in 1:25.3.
First Call, who is owned by Connie Hochstetler, Robert Buddig and Allen Schwartz while trained by Homer Hochstetler, regained the lead at the top of the stretch. She held off the late charge by Only Passing Thru (Jimmy Whittemore) to win in a lifetime best of 1:54.1. Only Passing Thru settled for second money. If Not Why Not (Howard Parker) was third.
First Call is a four-year-old mare by Credit Winner. It was her second win this season. She now has 10 career victories.
Michelle Miller celebrated her first pari-mutuel win thanks to a sharp effort from Flyhawk El Fiero ($11.60).
Girlslovepearls (Stanley Zombick, Jr.) controlled all the early fractions (:28.1, :57.4, 1:28.2), but Flyhawk El Fiero , who is owned by Lewis and Terry Miller and trained by Michael Miller, went first-over at the top of the stretch and charged to the front and held off Little Dave (Angus MacDonald) to win in a career best of 1:58.3. Little Dave settled for second. Girlslovepearls held on for third.
It might have been her first victory but Michelle Miller drove like she had won a hundred races. Flyhawk El Fiero is a three-year-old gelding by Conway Hall. It was his second win this season. He now has seven career victories.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday with a 13 race card that starts at 6:10 p.m.
(Vernon Downs)