Vernon, NY — After sitting off dueling leaders through the far turn, John Cummins’ homebred Dame Good Time hooked three-wide out of the pocket in upper stretch and vaulted to a 17-1 upset in the $300,000 Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial, for 3-year-old trotters, on Thursday (July 4) at Vernon Downs.
The complexion of the race changed completely at the start as the 1-4 favorite, millionaire T C I, broke stride and lost roughly eight lengths of ground. That enabled Dame Good Time and driver Scott Zeron to sprint to an unopposed lead from the outside post nine, clearing Bargain (driven by Yannick Gingras) through a blistering :25.4 first quarter before yielding control to Daiquiri Hanover (Åke Svanstedt) up the backstretch.
After a :55.1 half, Dame Good Time found himself boxed behind a duel between Daiquiri Hanover and the first-over Amazing Catch (Dexter Dunn), and T C I rallied valiantly back into contention after David Miller landed him in third-over flow. At the 1:25.1 three-quarters, the second-over Sir Pinocchio faltered, forcing T C I four-wide off the home turn and giving Dame Good Time room to hook off the pegs and around the duel in front of him. The Chapter Seven-Dame Du Lac gelding responded at once, sprinting down the center of the track to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.3. Amazing Catch was a narrow second over Daiquiri Hanover; T C I rallied to finish fourth, beaten by only two lengths after trailing at the start.
Following a break in stride in the Empire Breeders Classic, on June 14, Travis Alexander trainee Dame Good Time added hopples for the Zweig, which provided him his fourth win in 12 career starts and pushed him over $330,000 in career earnings. He paid $36.60 to win.
The $128,000 filly division likewise yielded an upset, as Marcus Melander trainee Date Night Hanover ($18.00) sustained a first-over grind out of midfield to overpower 8-5 favorite Drawn Impression off the home turn and draw 3-3/4 lengths clear of runner-up Senorita Palema in 1:51.4. Dexter Dunn drove the Chapter Seven-Don’t Wait Up filly to her fifth win and a lifetime best performance for the partnership of Jeffrey Snyder and Onda Racing Stable.
The Miracle Mile also played host to two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings on the trot.
Civilian Drone (Yannick Gingras) won the $53,500 first division.
Moonshot S (Scott Zeron) led to the quarter in :27.3. Gangsta Talk (Ake Svanstedt) then took over going around the first turn. Civilian Drone ($6.70) made his move first-up going down the backstretch and was first to the half in :58.1 and first to three-quarters in 1:27.4.
As they reached the stretch second place finisher Gangsta Talk came all out after the leader but Civilian Drone was too strong and won in 1:55.2. Moonshot S finished third.
Civilian Drone is a 2-year-old Chapter Seven-Southwind Snow colt. Nancy Takter trains for owners Black Horse Racing, 3 Brothers Stables, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing, and Order By Stable AB. It was his first career win.
Super Chapter (Dexter Dunn) went gate-to-wire to take the $53,500 second division.
Super Chapter ($3.30) put up all the early fractions — :27.3 to the quarter, :58.1 to the half, and was first to three-quarters in 1:27.1. Second place finisher Happy Jack B (Tim Tetrick) gave everything he had but could only watch as Super Chapter got his first career win in a sparkling 1:54.2. Variegated (Zeron) finished third.
Super Chapter is a 2-year-old Chapter Seven-Lifetime Pursuit colt. Marcus Melander trains for owners Jeff Snyder and Arthur Pronti.
Vernon Downs returns to live racing on Friday (July 5) with 13 races starting at 4 p.m. For more information, go to www.vernondowns.com.
— John Horne also contributed to this report