While the Vernon Downs winner's enclosure has seemingly become the domain of driver John MacDonald of late (and he won three of Friday night's nine races), the "Prime Minister" would have to cede top honours to Chris Lems for the evening.
The South Dakota native won four of the night's events, beginning with a sweep of the early double aboard Total Freedom ($6.10, 1:58.3) and Manattack ($2.20, 1:55.2). Lems and MacDonald shared victory in the sixth, with Lems aboard favourite My Lucky Word ($3.60, 1:55.2) in the dead heat and MacDonald aboard Pegasus Point ($8.20). Lems would complete his grand slam with an outright win of the seventh aboard Lady Juno ($4.10, 1:59.1), teaming up with trainer Jessica Okusko for the second time on the night after prevailing with Manattack.
Lems' attempt at a fifth win on the night was cut short by a break in stride from Pounce K at the outset of the featured $6,500 top-level Miracle Mile trot, but the Hero Stables' Explosive Man ($5.20) was able to prevail while jointly favoured. Trainer-driver Bob Krivelin angled the four-year-old Explosive Matter gelding second-over on the far turn, working to the fore in the last yards off the cover of runner-up Parkhill Horton (Truman Gale) for a 1:56 victory.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday (July 9), with the first of 10 races slated for 6:45 p.m.
(Vernon Downs)