Catherines Colt came within three-fifths-of-a-second of the track record for two-year-old pacing geldings with his 1:54.4 triumph in the final division of Thursday night’s $50,800 late-closing feature for New York-bred two-year-old male side-wheelers at Vernon Downs
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Capping off a driving double during Thursday’s 11-race card, Jim Bailey did the teaming for trainer Norm Bradbury as Catherines Colt led from start to finish in the $12,700 ninth event and collected his “maiden” victory, winning by 2-1/4 lengths over Takemewithyou. Dorothy Hudak and Robert Riedel share ownership of the bay son of Sealed N Delivered-Persona, who is a winner of $27,402 after 12 starts.
The winning time was a local season’s best clocking for altered freshman on the lateral gait, eclipsing the 1:56.3 mark that Talk To Tony had established on July 30. Talk To Tony, the wagering favourite in this division, finished fifth.
Thursday’s three other divisional winners included Lislea Reardon (Lislea-TIs Trish), who was driven to a front-striding 1:56.2 triumph by trainer John Stark, Jr. in the $12,700 first race. The brown colt’s one-length tally was his first in 11 appearances for owner and breeder Timothy Rooney.
The bay colt Artistic Memory (Artiscape-Smacker Lips) also used front-striding tactics to post a 9-3/4-length decision in Thursday’s $12,700 third race. The 1:55.2 score equaled the youngster’s lifetime win-mark, which was earned here on September 12. Jimmy Whittemore did the steering for trainer Ray Van Dreason. Gus and Alan Johnston own the two-time winner, who has returned $17,266 after 11 lifetime starts.
Robert King Milkey’s Arteriffic (Art Major-Cameriffic) rallied from fifth at the half and closed from fourth in the final quarter to post a head triumph over Bullinachinashop and capture Thursday’s $12,700 sixth race. Claude Huckabone, Jr. did the catch driving for trainer Bert Belanger as the homebred bay colt turned in a 1:57.4 career-best performance and secured his second victory in nine outings.
Whittemore won four races for the third time here this season, raising his meet-leading victory total to 101.
Huckabone was also a two-time Thursday winner.
(Vernon Downs)