The Saratoga shipper H And Ms Hit displayed the most lick in the lane while winning Friday night’s $10,000 Open-1 trotting test at Vernon Downs with a career-best 1:55.3 clocking
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With trainer Claude Huckabone, III driving for owner Michael Sorentino, Jr. in the week’s featured ninth race, H And Ms Hit ($59.50) idled in fourth as Mr Avalanche took the field of eight to the quarter in :27.4.
The favourite Grey Ice took over from there, leading at the half in :57.4 and three-quarters in 1:26.4.
Still fourth entering the payoff patch, H And Ms Hit out-hoofed three contenders to the finish, defeating Mr Avalanche by two and a quarter lengths.
Friday’s first-place showing was the first this season, but eighth all-time for the five-year-old son of Giant Hit-Our Little Girl, who increased his career bankroll to more than $81,000, and chopped two seconds off his previous win-mark.
Friday’s 10-race card also produced the meet’s fastest pari-mutual victories by a two-year-old filly trotter, a 1:59.3 maiden victory by Vixy (Frank Milby driving for trainer Deedra Johnson and the Pine Hill Stable) in the third race, and two-year-old colt pacer, a 1:55.1 speed-mark showing by Ideal Affair (Chris Lems teaming for owner and trainer Jim Graham) in the fourth event.
Lems, the meet’s third-leading dash-winner, earned his ninth driving double during the track’s 47th program.
(Vernon Downs)