by Dustin Ross, regional racing operations manager, Tioga/Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Vernon Downs will host the Bruce Hamilton Pace and James Crawford Trot on Friday, September 25, to kick off the weekend towards the New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions. Each contest drew half a dozen competitors and the New York breds will battle it out for $60,000 in each event.

Leading the way for the New York bred pacers is Riggins and Jim Morrill, Jr. from the red hot Tracy Brainard stable. The 4-year-old son of Art Major-Towner’s Image has posted six wins in 22 seasonal starts with a mark at the Meadowlands of 1:48.4. Riggins is coming into Vernon off a third place effort in the Open Pace at Mohawk Racetrack behind Bigtime Ball and Shark Gesture.

One of his main competitors looks to be Lucky Bettor from the North American leading Ron Burke stable. Brian Sears has been given the nod and will behind the seven-time winner in 2009 who is coming in off a new lifetime mark of 1:50.1 earned at Pocono Downs in the Open Handicap Pace. The 5-year-old son of Bettor’s Delight-Hornby Lucky has earned over $217,000 for Burke Racing, JJK Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi, who claimed Lucky Bettor for $40,000 late last year at Harrah’s Chester.

In the $60,000 James Crawford Trot, Four Starz Speed leads a field of six with Brian Sears teaming up with the Burke stable once again. The 4-year-old Conway Hall-Lotstoliveupto son has earned more than $305,000 in 2009 and owns a mark of 1:53.1 taken at the Meadowlands. In his last outing Four Starz Speed finished second to Arch Madness in the $187,000 Credit Winner Trot at Vernon Downs.

Below are the fields for the Bruce Hamilton Pace and James Crawford Trot at Vernon Downs:

Race 8-Bruce Hamilton Memorial Pace-Purse $60,000
HN-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Golden Receiver-Andy Miller-Mark Harder
2-Tuffofthetoughest-George Brennan-Ray Schnittker
3-Lucky Bettor-Brian Sears-Ron Burke
4-Major Stone-Howard Okusko, Jr.-Jessica Okusko
5-Bullville Powerful-Jimmy Whittemore-Stephen Crevani
6-Riggins-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Tracy Brainard

Race 6-James Crawford Memorial Trot-Purse $60,000
HN-Horse-Driver-Trainer
1-Butterscotch Swirl-William Bailey-David Dewhurst
2-Aisling-Andy Miller-Robert Bencal
3-John Paul’s Legacy-George Brennan-Angus MacDonald
4-Austin’s Jon Jon-Jimmy Whittemore-Richard Gayton
5-Four Starz Speed-Brian Sears-Ron Burke
6-Bet To Win-Jim Morrill, Jr.-Larry Remmen