Park Lane Midnight, Whiskey Pete and Bullish Blue Chip all earned divisional victories in Friday afternoon’s $38,500 late-closing contest for New York-bred two-year-old male pacers at Vernon Downs
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Shirley La Vin’s Park Lane Midnight eked out a slim 1:56.1 score in Friday’s $12,800 fifth race; Whiskey Pete produced a determined 1:56.3 tally in the $12,800 sixth event, while Bullish Blue Chip cruised to a 1:58 triumph in the $12,900 seventh session.
With Gareth Dowse driving for trainer Mark Ford, Park Lane Midnight drafted along behind the pacesetting favourite Lislea Reardon until the stretch drive, and then made up three lengths with a :29.3 final quarter to win in a head bob. In addition to turning in a career-best win clocking, the brown son of Bettors Delight-Prosecutor Mindale improved his season’s summary line to 4-6-1 after 13 starts and winnings to $72,486.
Whiskey Pete also came from off the pace for trainer/driver Gates Brunet, rallying from fifth in the final quarter and closing from third in the stretch to deliver a 1-1/4 length decision over a game Soap Suds. The personal best showing resulted in the second score in 12 appearances for the bay son of Art Major-Cheryls Western. Theodore Gewertz, Deborah Brunet (Gates’ wife) and Samuel Dotro own the career winner of $66,842.
Bullish Blue Chip crossed over from the outside nine slot to gain control of his flight and never looked back, rolling to a 1:58 tally for driver Howard Okusko, Jr. A regular New York Sires Stakes winner in 1:56.3 at Yonkers two starts back (9/18), the bay son of Art Major-Western Charmer collected his second win in 11 tries for trainer Jessica Okusko and Wanda Polisseni’s Purple Haze Stables, improving his overall winnings to more than $85,000.
The Tracy Brainard owned and trained favourite Sharpshootennorris secured a nose decision over Unshakeable in Friday’s $10,000 ninth race, the week’s Open Handicap Trot. The 1:56.4 score gave driver Jack Rice a double during the 10-race program. Sharpshootennorris’ win was his third in succession and seventh at the meet, one less than the current trotting leader Largent Hall. The pacer Bille Bella Chick is tops in total equine tallies after 75 programs with 10.
Brainard’s 12-year-old trotter PJs Niagara extended his winning streak to five with a 1:58 performance for Rice in Friday’s $5,400 fourth event and tied the pacer Waltrip Hanover for the longest winning streak at the meet.
(With files from Vernon Downs)