by James Witherite, Vernon Downs racing media

Vernon, NY — It’s seemed lately that Yannick Gingras has had the Midas touch, racking up stakes wins with incredible ease. He continued in that fashion on Saturday (Nov. 1) evening at Vernon Downs, taking home gold in three of the four stakes races on the 11-race closing night program.

Fotowon photo

Maven scored in track record fashion, winning the $178,000 Muscle Hill distaff trot in 1:52. The win was one of three on the night for driver Yannick Gingras.

His stakes hat trick began in the $178,000 Artiscape distaff pace, where he kept double millionaire Rocklamation ($7.30) off a strenuous early pace.

Second-over on the far turn behind Shelliscape (John Campbell), Gingras moved the 6-year-old Rocknroll Hanover mare three-wide at head-stretch, drawing clear of the pacesetting Somwherovrarainbow (David Miller) en route to a three length, 1:50.2 win. Triple millionaire Anndrovette (Tim Tetrick) faded to fourth after tracking from the pocket through the race’s middle stages.

Ron Burke trains Rocklamation for the Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45 and the J&T Silva Stables.

Gingras came right back in the $240,500 Kindergarten Classic for 2-year-old trotting colts, holding sway with French Laundry ($5.90) after a middle move to the fore.

Clearing the front just past a :57.1 half-mile, the son of Muscles Yankee-Creamy Mimi held off a first-over challenge from Airman Batten (Lewayne Miller), subsequently keeping pocket rival Boots N Chains (Corey Callahan) at bay for a 1-3/4 length triumph in 1:54.4.

Jimmy Takter trains French Laundry for the partnership of Christina Takter, John and Jim Fielding, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld.

The $251,100 Kindergarten Classic for 2-year-old fillies was next on the card, yielding a narrow miss for the Green Hornet — his only defeat for the evening. Lady Clarabella ($7.10), who scored a 1:54.2 track record performance at Vernon earlier in the season, tracked live cover from Allerage Star (Corey Callahan) through the far turn, left uncovered in the stretch.

In the final yards, David Miller urged Lady Clarabella to the fore, having just enough to stave off the late charge of Sarcy (Gingras).

Randy Beeckman trains Lady Clarabella, a daughter of Lear Jetta-Jet By, for Paul Kinnear and Dreamland Farms.

Gingras rebounded amply in the $178,000 Muscle Hill distaff trot, retaining his usual drive aboard Maven ($5.10) in her pari-mutuel debut for trainer Ron Burke, and turning in a sensational track-record effort.

The 5-year-old Glidemaster mare took the lead from the sharply-clearing Bee A Magician (Brian Sears) after :26.3 initial quarter, controlling the terms through a :57.4 middle half while keeping the first-over Classic Martine (Tim Tetrick) at bay through the stretch.

Maven would not be deined in the extended battle, defeating Classic Martine by a half-length in 1:52, a track record for older trotting mares.

William Donovan owns the internationally-acclaimed Maven.

Earlier in the card, driving champion Chris Lems and training champion David Dewhurst were honored in the winner’s enclosure, along with 2014 Vernon Downs Horse of the Year A Penny Earned.