by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Gunther Unflat’s The Big Cat claimed the featured trot, while Artachebythenumber and Chick Flick were named the meet’s top pacer and trotter, respectively, at Vernon Downs on Friday night (Nov. 24).

Howard Okukso, Jr., the current campaign’s top driver and trainer, secured his 35th driving victory after he teamed The Big Cat to a come-from-behind 1:57.3 triumph in Friday’s $6,000 ninth race, the week’s top trotting test.

Advancing from fifth at the half, the 4-year-old horse had to go three wide around the final bend, but still had enough speed and stamina to rally from third in the homestretch and defeat another closer, Nick Taurus, by 1-1/2 lengths. The hard-earned tally was the second at the Downs and third this season for the career winner of $211,232, who is trained by Okusko’s father, Howard Sr.

Artachebythenumber became the meet’s only seven-time winner after Chuck Connor, Jr. teamed her to a 1:57.1 triumph in the evening’s fourth race for owner Bob Siemski. The front-striding effort marked the fourth win in a row and 10th in 25 season’s starts for the hard-hitting 5-year-old mare. The Lonny Hale-trainee banked $12,029 in her 10 appearances and earned a 1:55.2 win-record during the 29-night old meet.

With Dude Goodblood steering for trainer Bill Arthurs, Chick Flick finished a closing second to Joe Burns’ Right Mind in the night’s eighth event, missing her third straight score by just 1-1/4 lengths. Still, the meet’s only four-time winning trotter banked nearly $7,700 in 11 Vernon ventures for owners Jill and Clayton Johnson and she lowered her lifetime record to 1:59 on two separate occasions.

Newcomer Blue Jean Hanover turned in a bold-going 1:55.2 career-best triumph in the night’s $3,500 seventh race, the week’s top test for female pacers. Bill Bailey drove for trainer Dave Dewhurst and owner Anthony Farina as the 4-year-old mare claimed her third win of 2006.

DOWNS DOINGS: Okusko enters Saturday’s final program with a 35-33 lead over Connor in the meet’s dash-winning derby. The top trainer and driver trophy plaques, along with the 2006 Good Guy and Rising Start awards, will be presented prior to Saturday’s 11-race program, which kicks off at 6:50 p.m.…Scott Scofield sat in for trainer Hale as Right Mind delivered his 1:58.2 tally in Friday’s eighth event…Adam Capizzano tied Don Simmonds and Christopher Lems at two for top honors among provisional drivers at the meet after teaming his trotter Moonlight Lilly to a 2:02.1 triumph in Friday’s fifth race…The Downs continues to offer daily afternoon and evening simulcasts starting at 11:00 a.m…The track’s video gaming facility operates daily from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m.