by Jim Moran, publicity director, Vernon Downs
Vernon, NY — Current track record holder Homer Blue Chip returns to take on last week’s Open winner, Little Mister, and four other fast-class pacers in Saturday night’s $5,000 featured eighth race at Vernon Downs on “Angus Mac Donald Day” in the Village of Vernon. Saturday’s 10 race live Vernon Downs card will commence at 6:30 p.m.
Homer Blue Chip will be making his first Vernon appearance since he recorded a 1:512 all-time track standard for older pacing geldings on May 22. With part-owner Paul Suchow in the sulky here three weeks ago, the nine-year-old altered son of On The Road Again-Snow Dream drafted in the desired two position behind the pace-setting Texas Blue Jeans N for most of that Open contest, then unleashed a late charge that propelled him to a three length triumph, which stood as the meet’s fastest mile through 23 programs.
Suchow, who shares ownership of the Maureen Salino-trained Homer Blue Chip with Margaret Suchow and Neil Cohen, also did the teaming on June 1 at Plainridge Racetrack in Massachusetts when the career winner of $151,949 finished out of the money after a parked out mile. He currently shows a record of three wins and a third place finish after five 2004 outings.
Little Mister, still registered to his breeders, the Little Farm, has secured two wins in Vernon’s top pacing class, including a career-best 1:524 victory on May 8. Howard Okusko, Sr. conditions the four-year-old son of Village Jove-Little Mum, who has picked up a purse check in all six of his current appearances to lift his lifetime earnings to $97,975.
The week’s top pacing test also includes former track record-holder Avon Rainy Road, who owned a share of the previous 1:514 Vernon mark before Homer Blue Chip took possession, How Forever Feels, Little Boy Joe and Carrot Patch.
The Village of Vernon (NY) recently issued a proclamation making June 12 Angus Mac Donald Day in recognition of the veteran horseman having achieved his 1,000th career victory after teaming his trotter Power Link to a 2:00 tally in the second race here on May 29. Track officials will honor the 57-year-old Vernon resident in a winner’s circle ceremony after Saturday night’s third race.
A native of Nova Scotia, Canada, Mac Donald, who has also recorded more than $2.5 million in official purse earnings, has been a Vernon regular for nearly three decades.
No Mystery, a horse he owns, trains and drives, owns 30 Vernon victories in 2:00 or faster and is the track’s all-time leader in that category.
Mac Donald enjoyed one of his finest seasons in 2003 when he captured the track’s percentage training championship with a healthy .461 “batting average.” His trotters Power Link and Greatest Hit tied at nine as Vernon’s winningest performers of 2003 on the diagonal gait.