Yankee Manny takes Open Trot at Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Excellent efforts by Yankee Manny and All About Attitude highlighted Wednesday night’s 10-race program at Vernon Downs.

Fotowon photo

Yankee Manny won the Open Trot in a time of 1:53.3.

Yankee Manny exploited a late opening in the pylon path to become the second five-time winning equine of Vernon’s 45-program meeting following a 1:53.3 tally in the week’s $11,000 Open Trot, while All About Attitude became the local season’s fastest 2-year-old filly pacer after a career-best 1:55.2 performance in Wednesday’s third event.

Joining fellow high-stepper My Buddy Hall Lee as the local campaign’s only five-time winning equines, Yankee Manny ($5.10) drafted along in second place until the top of the stretch and, after the pace-setting Manningly bore out entering the final furlong, then charged through the inside lane to win, going away, by more than two lengths.

Frank Davis delivered his 31st driving victory and 14th training tally while guiding the 6-year-old son of Yankee Glide-Yankee Minuet to his seventh season’s score and 26th lifetime victory. The career-winner of more than $153,000 has finished in the money in all of his last eight starts for owner Brian Green.

Making her fourth career appearance against seven frosh female rivals, All About Attitude ($8.60) battled for the lead from the word “go,” took command nearing the three-quarter mark and kicked home in :29.2 for trainer/driver Chuck Connor, Jr. to record her maiden victory for owners Janice Connor and Michelle C. Crawford.

Leading driver Rick Plano got his 71st victory behind the Tracy Brainard-trained trotter Confederate Man in the eighth event and now needs just 16 more tallies to reach the coveted 6,000 career-win mark. Second leading reinsman Chris Lems reached 60 first-place finishes at the meet after recording his ninth driving double, while Plano’s 32-year-old son, Luke, also chalked up two Wednesday scores, as did veteran conditioner Angus MacDonald.

— Jim Moran

Saratoga Casino and Raceway
The meet’s leading trainer Melissa Beckwith added three wins to her already bulky total on Wednesday night at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. Claiming trotter Silver Delivery made his return after a two month layoff and showed no signs of rust on Wednesday, cruising to an open length victory in the evening’s $5,000 claimer. Silver Delivery (Sealed N Delivered), a pacing bred, has thrived since being turned into a trotter a couple seasons ago and recorded his fifth win of the season behind a 1:58.2 romp. Mark Beckwith piloted Silver Delivery as well as stablemates CJ Marshal and Pot Limit to Wednesday night wins. Beckwith’s training lead sits at almost 50 wins after the hat trick.

Monticello Raceway
Mike Merton reined five winners on the Wednesday card at Monticello. Merton didn’t score until the fourth race when he guided Tom and Francis Meaney’s trotter My Cool Breeze ($9.30) to a 1:59.4 victory. He then won the sixth with his brother Bobby’s trotter Playa Tulum ($17.40) in a 1:59.2 clocking. After being skunked over the next four races Merton won the final three on the program. He won the 11th with Dominick Rafanelli’s I Have It All ($15.40) in 2:01.3 and the 12th behind Lav Racing Stables’ Ooby Dooby ($8.50) in 1:56.4. He then copped the finale by reining Christine Zigrossi’s I Deal Vic ($7.20) home first in a 2:00.1 clocking. His five driving victories on Wednesday have pushed Merton over the 100-win plateau (sixth best) at the Mighty M but he has also been winning out of town. Thus far this year Merton has reined 126 winners.