by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Driver Brian Sears and the speedy trotter Susie’s Magic turned in record performances during Vernon Downs’ stellar 11-race card on Thursday night, September 13.

Sears, Vernon’s former percentage champ (1991-1993), posted six first-place finishes to tie the track’s single program record, set by Jack Bailey in 1968 and equaled several times since.

Now one of the Standardbred sport’s top teamsters, Sears led with the pacer I’m All Speed entering the final furlong of Thursday’s last race, but ended up third (after being passed by Karlyns Sarah B and JK Memories) in a game effort.

Susie’s Magic established a 1:53.3 Downs standard for 4-year-old trotting mares while winning Vernon’s $25,000 leg of the Miss Versatility early closing event. Jim Morrill, Jr. drove for trainer Anthony O’ Sullivan as the quick-striding daughter of Dream Vacation took charge after the opening quarter and held off a late challenge by Passionate Glide to record her third current victory for the L&L Devisser and William Jones ownership contingent. Oddly enough, Passionate Glide had set the previous 1:54.3 mark while winning the Conway Hall Trot on May 28.

“My mare was strong tonight,” Morrill told interviewer Pete Kite in the winner’s circle following the record-setting mile. “We got a good opening quarter (:26.1), and she actually picked it up a bit coming home, trotting right through the finish wire.”

Starting out with victories in races one through three, Sears guided Baileysirishdream to a front-ending, 1:59.3 tally in Thursday’s fifth race, the $86,500 final of the Kindergarten Classic Series for 2-year-old trotting fillies. It was the fourth local score and sixth in seven career outings for the brown daughter of Matchem Hanover. Vernon’s Ray Van Dreason conditions the winner of $68,250 for owner Barbara Bailey.

Sears also did the catch-driving for owner/trainer Chuck Grubbs behind Stringtowner, who won the sixth race, a $25,000 Invitational Pace. The fast-closing victory was the 11th in 28 season’s starts for the 6-year-old gelded son of Towner’s Big Guy, who has earned more than $172,000 in his fine career.

Sears ended his superb performance with a 1:55.2 triumph behind Scorpion Moon, who finished first in Thursday’s ninth event, the week’s $10,000 Open Handicap Trot. It was the fifth local tally and 11th on the campaign for the career-winner of $222,230, who is shared in ownership by trainer Tracy Brainard, Gerard Stuchbury and Andrew Herzog.

Trainer Ray Schnittker sat behind Andover American and directed the brown son of Andover Hall to a 1:59.4 triumph in Thursday’s eighth event, the $80,500 title test in the Kindergarten Classic Series for 2-year-old colt/gelding trotters. The strong gate-to-wire showing produced the second local score, but fifth success in seven starts for the purse-winner of nearly $75,000, who is registered to Neal Goldman, Alan Kaplan, Keith Dickstein and Richard Timbo.

Yannick Gingras piloted Wanda’s Choice to a 1:54 triumph in Thursday’s seventh race, the week’s $10,000 Open Handicap for female pacers. The Jessica Okusko-trained 4-year-old daughter of Magical Mike popped out of second in the stretch drive and won by a neck over the onrushing favorite Armbro Dancer, producing an eye-popping $49.20 win payoff. It was the fourth local victory and sixth this year for the career winner of $84,582, who is owned by the Purple Haze Stables.

Downs Doings: In a Thursday morning qualifier, Schnittker drove the New Jersey Sires Stakes champ Deweycheatumnhowe to a 1:57.2 score, which is the fastest mile in Vernon’s 54-year history by a 2-year-old colt trotter. Schnittker told Kite that the strong and swift effort was a tune-up for upcoming races at Kentucky’s Red Mile…The championship final of the Miss Versatility Series will be raced over Delaware, Ohio’s half-mile track on Thursday, September 20, which happens to be Little Brown Jug day…Gingras won two races on Thursday, while Brainard earned a training double…Following this Saturday night’s (September 15) 12-race program, which includes the week’s $10,000 Open-1 Pace, the Downs will switch to its fall Thursday-Saturday night schedule. First post for the remainder of the meet, slated to go through November 10, will be at 6:45 p.m…Vernon’s video gaming facility operates from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday, while its daily simulcast sessions begin at 11:00 a.m.