All About Kisses displayed her superiority for the second week-in-a-row with a hoof-scootin’ 1:50.4 victory in Thursday night’s $11,000 featured Open for female pacers at Vernon Downs.
Trainer Chuck Connor, Jr. was again in the sulky as the favourite All About Kisses ($3.50) went for the lead from the word “go,” remained in command through splits of :27.4, :56.3 and 1:24, enjoyed an eight-length lead entering the final furlong. She defeated Harlem Rockturne, the nearest of her five distaff rivals, by 8-1/2 lengths in Thursday’s sixth race.
The 1:50.4 clocking was not only a personal-best record for All About Kisses, it was also just three-fifths of a second off the track record for four-year-old pacing mares that was established by Armbro Dancer in 2007.
Following up on last week’s 1:52.2 tally in this top class here, the fast and frisky daughter of Pro Bono Best-Cheerful Outlook earned her fifth season’s score and 17th lifetime victory. The career-winner of $296,036 is owned by Connor’s wife, Janice, as well as Albert C. and Michelle Crawford.
Two races later, Mias Star became the 50-program meeting’s winningest pacer with a career-fastest 1:51.2 triumph in Thursday’s $6,800 eighth event, earning her second score in succession, fifth locally in 2012 and 13th all-time. Enio Barrera conditions the four-year-old daughter of Mach Three-Queen Verda for owner Clayton Faurot, Sr.
Leading driver Rick Plano posted his season’s-leading 12th double at the Downs in 2012, increasing his driving tally total to 79 (training credits to 40), and now needs just eight more first-place finishes to reach the lofty 6,000 career-win plateau.
Driver Roman Lopez also collected a pair of victories during Thursday’s 11-race card.
(Vernon Downs)