by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Former driving champion Brian Allen turned in a hot performance on a cool, rainy Tuesday (September 11) night at Vernon Downs.

Shipping over from Saratoga for the final Tuesday program of the track’s 54th season, Allen, who strung together seven dash titles here from 1990-1996, steered a trio of first-place finishers into Vernon’s newly-renovated winner’s circle.

Allen’s 1:54.2 score behind the favored Big Underdog in Vernon’s second race proved to be the fastest of 10 Tuesday miles over a track labeled “good.”

Leaving from post nine, Big Underdog paced from fourth into the lead after a :27.2 opening panel and remained in charge through additional fractions of :56.3 and 1:25.1 en route to his third triumph in 15 season’s starts. The career-winner of $158,726 is trained and owned by Gary Levine.

Allen’s first hat trick of the meet was completed after wins behind Sally Norcross’ pacer Apache Uprising (1:57) in the seventh session and his wife Kathleen’s pacer Exceptional King (1:56) in the 10th race.

Defending driving and percentage champ Howard Okusko, Jr. charted victories behind the trotter Partial Hit, which he owns with his wife, Jessica, in the fourth race, and the pacer Waltrip Hanover, registered to the Purple Haze Stable, in the fifth event to record his 12th double at the meet. The first-place finishes in 1:59.2 and 1:59.1, respectively, also enabled trainer Jessica Okusko to chalk up a two-win night.

Downs Doings: The claim of pacer Blue Cam Rock in Tuesday’s second race by Ellen McNeil was the 20th in 61 programs…This Thursday’s talent rich 11-race card includes the $86,500 Kindergarten Classic Series final for 2-year-old trotting fillies, the event’s $80,500 counterpart for freshman male trotters, a special $25,000 Invitational Pace, a $25,000 leg of the Miss Versatility early closer for mature trotting mares, a $10,000 Open test for female pacers and the week’s $10,000 Open Handicap Trot…Following Saturday night’s (September 15) program, the Downs will switch to its fall Thursday-Saturday night schedule. First post for the remainder of the meet, slated to go through November 10, 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.