by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Following a pair of speedy practice miles, Abbey Road Hanover looked razor sharp in posting a 1:51 career-fastest victory in Thursday night’s $10,000 featured sixth race at Vernon Downs.

Fotowon photo

Abbey Road Hanover was a 1:51 winner in the Mares Open on Thursday.

Vernon qualifying scores in 1:57.2 and 1:55.1 enabled Abbey Road Hanover to get in tip-top shape for Thursday’s female Open Pace. With Rick Plano piloting for trainer Edgar Clarke, Abbey Road Hanover cut splits of :27, :55.3 and 1:23.1 before being headed by the pocket-sitting Little Santamonica entering the final sixteenth. The battling bay mare then slipped into another gear and accelerated to a three-quarter length triumph over her main challenger.

While it was her first local tally of 2013, the comeback score resulted in the fifth season’s win (four others at Florida’s Pompano Park) and the 12th lifetime tally for the quick-footed daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Allamerica Coed, who is owned by Robert J. Orr and Gary J. Jonas. The hard-fought tally raised her career winnings to more than $138,000.

The talented trotter Pazza posted the first pari-mutuel victory by a 2-year-old at the 37-card meeting, rallying late to begin her racing career with a 2:01 triumph in Thursday’s eighth event. Trainer Gates Brunet did the driving for owners Joseph A. Spadaro and noted NYRA announcer Tom Durkin.

Leading pilot Rick Plano pushed his victory total to 71 and tied fellow reinsman Chris Lems at 12 for most driving doubles at the meet, while his chief rival, Roman Lopez, also produced a pair of first-place finishes, as did former Downs champ Jimmy Whittemore.