Charlene Long's Oh No Three O ($8.10) passed all four of his rivals in Friday (July 29) evening's featured $8,000 Miracle Mile/Open Trot at Vernon Downs, accelerating once free in upper stretch to collar 3-4 favourite A Penny Earned in the last 40 yards.
Claude Huckabone III settled Oh No Three O to the back of the compact field from the outset, taking no part in the pacesetting proceedings while A Penny Earned (Chris Lems) strode out to a clear lead via a blistering :26.2 first quarter. While Gimme The Cash (Jimmy Whittemore) made steady first-over gains to keep A Penny Earned from fully relaxing on the lead, Oh No Three O saved ground through a :58 middle half.
As the outer flow weakened off the far turn, Oh No Three O managed to gain third up the pegs and subsequently switched to the two-path just outside the eighth pole. He accelerated at once, mowing down A Penny Earned in deep stretch and sprinting off by one and a quarter lengths in 1:53.4. Twice Too Nice (John MacDonald) was fully extended in her pursuit from the pocket, finishing another three and three-quarter lengths back in third.
Paul Long trains Oh No Three O, now a 30-time winner. The 1:53.4 mile was good for a seasonal mark and his fourth victory in 2016.
In the sub-featured event, a $5,500 Miracle Mile Trot, My Lucky Word ($16.00) left from post eight to secure a pocket trip behind Ozymandias (Roman Lopez) off a fast pace before pouncing in upper stretch for a 1:54.1 victory. Jimmy Whittemore drove the four-year-old Lucky Chucky mare for owner Philip Hale and trainer David Dewhurst.
(Vernon Downs)