Making his first start south of the border, O'Brien Award winner Intimidate came charging home between horses in deep stretch to become the fastest trotter to win at Vernon Downs in the $214,000 Credit Winner Trot on Friday night.
Intimidate set a new track record of 1:51, shaving one-fifth of a second off the former all-age mark set by San Pail in 2011.
Ron Pierce drove the four-year-old homebred son of Quebec sire Justice Hall for trainer Luc Blais, who shares ownership with Judith Farrow of Hemmingford, Que.
Sevruga (Andy Miller) won an early battle for the lead over Wishing Stone (Yannick Gingras) into a :26-second opening quarter with Market Share (Tim Tetrick) watching the action from third before marking his move. Market Share took aim during the second panel and cleared to command past the :54.4 half-mile mark.
He continued to lead the field by three-quarters in 1:22.2 before Sevruga brushed by into the stretch. However, Pierce managed to maneuver Intimidate between horses down the lane after sitting near the back of the pack and the gelding came thundering by late to score in 1:51. Sevruga finished half a length behind in second while another O'Brien Award winner, Mister Herbie (Jody Jamieson), came on for third. Market Share was fourth and Guccio (Jimmy Takter) finished fifth.
"If I could find some room I knew I'd have plenty of trot," said Pierce after the race. "We just kind of threaded the needle between a couple of horses.
"The only tough decision I had to make was at the quarter pole where it was either I stay in the flow that wasn't going anywhere or I take a shot and go up the inside. I took the shot and went up the inside and I was lucky to get through."
Intimidate, who boasts a five-for-six record this year, has earned 19 wins in 26 career starts while banking $522,540 in purses.
"He's still growing," noted Pierce. "He did get taller and longer and thicker over the winter and during his break so he doesn't need to get much bigger to go much faster. I don't know where his bottom is, it's going to be interesting.
"There's no question he can go better than 1:50."
Intimidate paid $7 to win as the 5-2 second choice to the three-horse entry.
Dorsay also established a new track record for trotting mares with a 1:52 victory in the $202,000 companion Muscle Hill Trot.
Driver Corey Callahan sent the four-year-old daughter of Yankee Glide to the lead from post eight through a :26.4 quarter, but settled for a pocket trip as Beatgoeson Hanover (David Miller) swept from third to first during the second panel. Beatgoeson Hanover hit the half in :56 and proceeded to three-quarters in 1:24.1 before Dorsay charged by for the three length victory. Beatgoeson Hanover settled for second-place honours with Cedar Dove (Ron Pierce) following in third. Intense America (Jody Jamieson) finished fourth and the winner's entrymate, Maven (Yannick Gingras), earned the final paycheque in fifth.
Dorsay shaved one full second off the Vernon record set by Southwind Wasabi in 2010. She also shares the world record for four-year-old trotting mares on a mile track courtesy of her 1:51.4 winning effort in the Ima Lula Series Final on Aug. 3 at The Meadowlands.
"I didn't really know that I was going to get the lead that easy, said Callahan. "I say that easy, we went :26.4, you know, but I had her settled down and when Dave came -- she just set a world record herself -- so she was definitely the mare to follow and it worked out good and I was able to get out."
Dorsay is trained by Jonas Czernyson and owned by Consus Racing Stable Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida.
"Jonas and I are lucky that the owner decided to bring her back this year," noted Callahan. "He was thinking about taking her to Sweden and breeding her. But she finished fourth in the [2012] Breeders Crown and he said, 'you know what, we'll try her one more year' and I'm really glad he did. I'm sure he's happy too."
Dorsay has won four of her 10 starts this year to push her lifetime earnings to $312,323.
She paid $4.50 to win.
Friday's harness racing card also included a pair of $50,000-plus divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies. Sweetnsinful (by American Ideal) won the first division in 1:52.2 for driver Jimmy Whittemore and conditioner Homer Hochstetler while Linda Toscano trainee Jk Molly (by Art Major) was the fastest in the second split in 1:52.1 with Tim Tetrick in the sulky.
Excelsior Series divisions went to Hay Stacked (1:56.3), Spreester (1:52.3) and Carlota Blue Chip (1:55.4).