Waltrip Hanover came within two-fifths of a second of the track record for older pacing horses with his 1:51.3 showing in Saturday nights $9,000 featured sixth race at Vernon Downs
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Leaving from Post 6 in the seven side-wheeler Miracle Mile-2 test, Waltrip Hanover shot right to the front for driver Howard Okusko, Jr. and remained there to the half, reached in :55.2. The Jessica Okusko-conditioned five-year-old relinquished the lead to the betting favourite, You Bet Your Glass, until the final sixteenth, and then bounced back to win by a head.
In addition to equaling his personal speed mark, the career winner of nearly $87,000 notched his second season’s score and 12th all time. Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stables owns the fleet-footed son of The Panderosa-Witchin Flight, who earned his record at Vernon last season.
Vernon’s 1:51.1 standard for aged pacing horses was set by Goin To The Beach in 2002.
Driver Rick Plano captured three of Saturday’s 12 races, as did veteran conditioner Howard Okusko, Sr.
(Vernon Downs)