by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — The Saratoga ship-in Popcorn Lu Lu opened up at the right time to taste victory in the $10,000 featured seventh race on Thursday night (October 4) at Vernon Downs.

Bill Bailey drove for trainer John Mongeon and owner Louis Fattorusso in the week’s Open Handicap for female pacers as Popcorn Lu Lu rallied from fifth at the half and fourth in the final quarter to defeat My True Delight and the betting favorite Finale’s Angel in a photo finish. The 1:53.4 mile, fastest of the evening, earned the 6-year-old daughter of Dream Away her first local triumph, fifth of the campaign and a fresh win mark. She’s now a career winner of more than $132,000.

Bailey also scored with the William Varney-owned and bred pacer Pembroke Annie Mac (in 1:56.2) to chalk up his fourth driving double of the 70-program campaign.

Josh Marks, winning with the trotter Cool Touch (1:58.2) and pacer Hot Delivery (1:57.3), notched his meet-leading 16th two-bagger, while Claude Huckabone, III visited Vernon’s renovated winner’s circle with the pacers Jessie The Cowgirl (1:55.1) and Maximum Bet (1:55.2) to secure his 13th two-tally performance at the Downs in 2007.

Dan English authored his first pari-mutuel driving victory after he steered the sophomore trotting filly Scottish Delight to a career best 2:00.4 record in Thursday’s $3,400 fifth race. Gates Brunet conditions the daughter of Angus Hall for his wife, Deborah, and ownership partner, Theodore Gewertz.

Downs Doings: In addition to Popcorn Lu Lu, first-time Vernon victors during Thursday’s 11-race card included Cool Touch in the first race, Danzig in the second, Hot Delivery in the third, Miss Two Pack in the fourth, Pembroke Annie Mac in the sixth, Jessie The Cowgirl in the ninth, Maximum Bet in the 10th and Hotsy Totsy HR in the 11th…The track’s 11-race offering for Friday night (October 5) features the week’s $10,000 Open Handicap Trot in the seventh slot. First post will be at 6:45 p.m.…Vernon’s video gaming facility operates from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday, while its daily simulcast sessions begin at 11:00 a.m.