Pantheon Hanover ($4.50) lived up to his billing as the 5-4 favourite in the featured $7,500 Miracle Mile Pace at Vernon Downs, stalking live cover on the far turn and vaulting clear to a three and a half length triumph.
The four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding was no part of a :25.4 first quarter duel between Sassy Hanover (Claude Huckabone III) and All Stienam (John MacDonald), settling second from last in the select field of six. As Panpero Firpo (Brett Derue) emerged from mid-pack to head outer flow at race's mid-point, Chris Lems angled Pantheon Hanover second-over to stalk steadily improving cover through middle splits of :53.4 and 1:21.3. As the pacesetters began to toil, Pantheon Hanover swung three-wide, pushing to the fore at head-stretch and drawing clear at will. Behind Pantheon Hanover's 1:50 mile, the first-over Panpero Firpo continued his rally to take second, while All Stienam saved third from the pocket.
Trainer Dave Dewhurst co-owns Pantheon Hanover with Philip Hale. For Lems, the featured win was one of three on the night. John MacDonald also recorded a driving hat trick on the nine-race program.
As no one hit the 50-cent Pick 5, a carryover of $256.53 will head to Thursday (June 9) night's card. Post time for the 10-race program is 6:45 p.m. Eastern.
(Vernon Downs)