by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Catherine’s Colt came within three-fifths of a second of the track record for 2-year-old pacing geldings with his 1:54.4 triumph in the final division of Thursday night’s (Sept. 24) $50,800 late closing feature for New York-bred 2-year-old male pacers at Vernon Downs.

Fotowon photo

Jim Bailey steered Catherine’s Colt to a 1:54.4 triumph on Thursday.

Capping off a driving double during Thursday’s 11-race card, Jim Bailey did the teaming for trainer Norm Bradbury as Catherine’s Colt led from start to finish in the $12,700 ninth event and collected his maiden victory, winning by 2-1/4 lengths over Takemewithyou. Dorothy Hudak and Robert Riedel share ownership of the bay son of Sealed N Delivered-Persona, who is a winner of $27,402 after 12 starts.

The winning time was a local season’s best clocking for altered freshman on the lateral gait, eclipsing the 1:56.3 mark that Talk To Tony had established on July 30. Talk To Tony, the wagering favorite in this division, finished fifth.

Thursday’s three other divisional winners included Lislea Reardon (Lislea-TI’s Trish), who was driven to a front-striding 1:56.2 triumph by trainer John Stark, Jr. in the $12,700 first race. The brown colt’s one length tally was his first in 11 appearances for owner and breeder Timothy Rooney.

The bay colt Artistic Memory (Artiscape-Smacker Lips) also used front-striding tactics to post a 9-3/4 length decision in Thursday’s $12,700 third race. The 1:55.2 score equaled the youngster’s lifetime win mark, which was earned here on Sept. 12. Jimmy Whittemore did the steering for trainer Ray Van Dreason. Gus and Alan Johnston own the two-time winner, who has returned $17,266 after 11 lifetime starts.

Robert King Milkey’s Arteriffic (Art Major-Cameriffic) rallied from fifth at the half and closed from fourth in the final quarter to post a head triumph over Bullinachinashop and capture Thursday’s $12,700 sixth race. Claude Huckabone, Jr. did the catch driving for trainer Bert Belanger as the homebred bay colt turned in a 1:57.4 career-best performance and secured his second victory in nine outings.

Whittemore won four races for the third time here this season, raising his meet-leading victory total to 101. Huckabone was also a two-time Thursday winner.