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

Nichols, NY — Although racing fans at Vernon Downs won’t get the opportunity this Thursday, May 28, to see live racing action due to the special Memorial Day card on Monday, they will get the chance to see world champion If I Can Dream race on Saturday, May 30.

Making his third start of the year, If I Can Dream has returned to trainer Tracy Brainard, who conditioned the son of Western Hanover-Arterra during his world record performance last fall in the Matron eliminations at Dover Downs. The mile of 1:50.4 eliminated the 18-year-old record of 1:51.1 set by Artsplace (and equaled in 2007 by Badlands Nitro) for 2-year-old colt pacers on a five-eighths-mile track. Josh Marks will drive If I Can Dream from post position three in a conditioned event slated as race number six.

Fred Brown Photography

Schoolkids (#1) nipped Drop Red by a neck in last September’s Kindergarten Series Final at Tioga Downs.

If I Can Dream’s stablemate, Schoolkids, has also returned to Tracy Brainard’s stable at Vernon Downs. The 3-year-old son of I Am A Fool-Game Bunny made his way to the Brainard stable in August of last year and established a lifetime mark of 1:51 at Vernon Downs in his first start with the new stable. Schoolkids’ victories at two included the final of the Kindergarten Classic, a Bluegrass division at Lexington, and eliminations for the Matron and American-National. He will leave from post position nine on Saturday night in the Open Handicap Pace (race 7), with Josh Marks in the sulky.

“If I Can Dream is prepping for the Art Rooney next weekend at Yonkers, and if all goes well Schoolkids is aimed for the Burlington and North American Cup at Mohawk,” said Josh Marks about the future of these two top 3-year-old prospects.

“We are glad to get these horses back in the stable. Schoolkids is probably one of my favorite horses, I love this horse,” said Marks.

Vernon Downs’ race schedule for this weekend is Friday and Saturday night at 6:55 p.m. For more information on Vernon Downs go to www.vernondowns.com.