Real Gentleman generated a career-best 1:51.1 effort to capture the second division of Thursday night’s $26,800 New York-bred late-closing contest for three-year-old male pacers at Vernon Downs
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With Jimmy Whittemore doing the driving for trainer Eric Abbatiello, Real Gentleman ($2.80) raced in front throughout the mile and went on to defeat Aribica by three quarters of a length. The mile lowered his previous record by one second and came within two fifths of a second of Vernon’s all-time standard for sophomore pacing geldings.
Real Gentleman's victory marked the eighth win in 19 starts for the bay son of Artiscape--Polite Hanover which is shared in ownership by Jeffrey Pocaro, Paul Stromick and the Allister Stables LLC.
Breezefromthewest, which had Josh Marks driving for trainer Tracy Brainard and owner Hubert Wick, took the opening division with a late-surging, 1:52.1 mile. The win time went down as a career mark for the bay son of Pro Bono Best--Queen Of The West.
Marks, the meet’s leading reinsman, chalked up four wins during the 11-race program. Whittemore, the track’s defending driving champ, also chalked up a pair of winners during the evening.
(With files from Vernon)