by Jim Moran, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — Walden went right to the front from the start and never looked back en route to an impressive 1:56.3 victory in Thursday night’s (May 1) $6,500 featured trot at Vernon Downs.

With defending track dash-winning champ Howard Okusko, Jr. doing the teaming in the seventh session, Walden waltzed right to the lead from the number seven post and led through splits of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:27.3 en route to a 2-1/2 length decision over the closest of his eight rivals.

The time, turned in on a chilly evening, missed the 7-year-old gelding’s personal best clocking by two ticks of the clock, and it was just three-fifths of a second off the fastest trotting mile of the five-night old meet.

The win was the second in a row at Vernon and third in nine season’s starts for the career winner of more than $122,300 that Joe Sansone trains for owners James and Elizabeth Harper.

The win was one of two during the nine-race card for Okusko, who also scored with his stable’s sophomore trotter Steamship Round in 1:58.1.

Newcomer Houndbeach recorded the fastest mile of the evening, a 1:54 triumph in Thursday’s $3,000 eighth event with Claude Huckabone, Jr. steering for trainer Tracy Brainard and the Just Luck Stable.

Downs Doings: Walden is one of four two-time winners at the meet…Chuck Connor, Jr. and Claude Huckabone, III also bagged a pair of Thursday tallies…The Downs will also offer nine-race programs on Friday and Saturday night this weekend, with first post at 6:55 p.m…Vernon’s afternoon and evening simulcasts begin daily at 11:00 a.m., except for this Saturday’s thoroughbred card from Churchill Downs, which starts one hour earlier, while its 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. on Friday and Saturday.