by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Glacier Girl made quick work of six rivals to earn fastest-mile honors in Thursday night’s (August 19) $53,000 New York Sires Stakes Late Closing contest for 3-year-old filly pacers at Vernon Downs.

Fotowon photo

Glacier Girl was a 1:54.2 winner for driver Howard Okusko, Jr.

Leaving from post three in Thursday’s final division, Glacier Girl made every split a winning one en route to a personal best 1:54.2 triumph in the ninth race. It was the second straight score and third of the season (all at Vernon) for the homebred daughter of Sealed N Delivered-Cirque, who raised her lifetime winnings to more than $23,000 for breeder/owner John Boll. Howard Okusko, Jr. did the steering for his dad, venerable local conditioner Howard Okusko, Sr.

Okusko also drove Dashboard Dancer to a 1:56 career-best tally in Thursday’s opening division for trainer Linda Toscano and the Kovach Stables. It was the fifth first-place finish in 13 season’s outings for the bay daughter of Artiscape-Hula Dancer, who has socked away $32,357 of her $32,681 in lifetime earnings this season.

Thursday’s other divisional winners were Freedom Crossing (Artiscape-Bunker To Bunker), in a career-best 1:54.3 showing for leading driver Josh Marks (105 victories), trainer Kevin Johnson and the Winbak Farms-Rebecca Williams ownership contingent, and Quick Step (Bettor’s Delight-Panquin), in a 1:55 lifetime-fastest performance for driver Chris Lems, trainer/co-owner Keith Cluff and his partners David Hanson and Richard Edison.

Anthony R. Farina’s 7-year-old mare My Girl Lora logged a 1:53 win-mark and her 31st lifetime victory while defeating eight rivals in Thursday’s $9,000 seventh session, the week’s top test for female pacers. Rick Plano, who had won earlier in the card with the trotter Mr Friendly, sat in for trainer Dave Dewhurst and recorded his fourth double at the 52-program meet.