by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — No More Gold N continued his winning ways with a 1:56 mile over a track labeled ‘good’ due to a late afternoon thunderstorm in the $10,000 Open Trot at Vernon Downs on Thursday night, August 23.

Making his Vernon Downs debut, No More Gold N gained control of the lead shortly after the start of the 11th event and remained in charge en route to a 1-3/4 length victory, his third in succession and sixth this season. Trainer Keith Kash, Jr. did the teaming for The Inquisitive Stable and Melinda Kash as the steady striding 9-year-old gelding increased his current winnings to more than $41,200 after 19 current appearances. The time missed his record, earned at Tioga Downs on August 12, by one tick of the timer.

Leading dash winner Josh Marks teamed L B Maya Indian to a 1:55.1 triumph in Thursday’s third event, which proved to be the fastest of the evening’s 12 races. It was the second tally in the past three trips to the track for the 3-year-old filly, who is trained by George Deak, Jr. and owned by Jason Topi.

Catch-driver Howard Okusko, Jr. guided CJ’s Victory to a front striding 1:59.4 score in the quickest of three divisions of a $29,400 New York-bred Late Closing contest for 3-year-old male trotters. The time was a personal best for the gelded son of Majestic Victory, who is 11 starts into his initial campaign. Okusko’s father, Howard, Sr., conditions the two-time winner for the Perry Racing Stable.

Thursday’s other Late Closing winners were Billboard King, in 2:00.1 for trainer/driver Claude Huckabone, Jr. and his dad, Claude Huckabone, Sr., and Molson T, in 2:00.2 for driver/trainer Kirk Desmond and owner Dennis Beaver.

The Lonny Hale-trained Tallamore became the meet’s winningest trotter after a 1:57.2 performance for driver Jimmy Whittemore in Thursday’s ninth event. The convincing front-ending effort resulted in the sixth Vernon victory, and seventh overall score this season for the 4-year-old mare, who is owned by Joe Burns and Kathleen Sheridan.

Downs Doings: Tallamore’s tally helped Whittemore chalk up his meet leading 13th driving double…The win was one of two on the evening for Hale, the meet’s top trainer in races won with 33…Claude Huckabone, III, who also delivered a pair of victories during the program to achieve his 11th local two-bagger this season, provided Hale with his other winner, a 1:57 success after a pocket-sitting trip behind the Most Happy Stable’s patient pacer Sporty Suzy in Thursday’s 10th contest…The Downs will present a 12-race program at 6:45 p.m. this Saturday night (August 25) that will include the week’s top pacing events, plus seven divisions of a New York-bred Late Closer for freshman trotters (four for males and three for females)…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.