Four One One and Hay Goodlooking were notable winners during Saturday night’s 12-race program at Vernon Downs
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Four One One rallied from fifth to first in the stretch to capture the week’s $9,000 Open Pace, while Hay Goodlooking, a 2008 New York Sires Stakes champion, got back on the winning track with a 1:54.1 triumph in the $5,500 seventh event.
Fifth choice in the wagering, Four One One idled in fifth as Victory Streak took the featured ninth-race field to the three-quarter mile mark in 1:24.2. With Joe Nassimos doing the catch driving for trainer Wayne Hughes and owner Robert Siemski, the seven-year-old gelding closed like a door in the wind to nip another on-rusher, the favourite Daley Deposit Only, by a neck. Smoky Bonz finished third.
It was the second season’s score and 16th all-time for the career-earner of more than $285,500, who paid $29.00 to win.
Rebounding from a third-place finish in last outing, Hay Goodlooking has his regular driver, trainer Gates Brunet, back at the controls on Saturday, and the familiar pair polished off eight capable foes with an impressive gate-to-wire pacing performance, defeating longshot How Forever Feels by 2-1/2 lengths. The capable three-year-old colt earned his second score in three current outings while improving his career earnings to more than $221,600 for owners Theodore Gewertz, Samuel Dotro and Deborah Brunet. He has now won nine of 14 lifetime starts.
Hay Goodlooking is a North America Cup eligible colt, who is rated at odds of 55-1 in Trot Magazine's 2009 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.
Saturday’s fastest mile (1:52.3) was credited to A And Gs Winner, who rallied from third in the lane to record a 3-1/2 length tally in the $4,000 10th test for owner Dorothy Gibides and trainer Nicholas Gibides. The six-year-old side-wheeler also helped driver Brian Connor achieve his initial two-win outing of the track’s 21-card campaign.
Connor’s other score came behind Geoffrey Zimmer’s pacer Christopher Paul (1:57) in the 11th contest.
The meet’s top driver Howard Okusko, Jr. and trainer Jessica Okusko also recorded a pair of wins (the pacers Whitaker Blue Chip and Diamond Stick Pin) during Saturday’s slate.
(With files from Vernon Downs)