by Michael Chamberlain, Vernon Downs Publicity
Vernon Downs held Finals in eight divisions of the New York
Excelsior "A" Series on Saturday night with purses totaling $360,000.
The 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings were first up and
provided an 11-1 upset with Commissioner Daley (Conway Hall-Irish Washerwoman)
storming through the stretch once he got into the clear and rolling right past
Genius At Work late to win in a final time of 1:55.2.
Commissioner Daley is owned by Ann-Mari Daley of Lake Worth,
Florida and Michael White of Royal Palm Beach, Florida. Dan Daley is the
trainer-driver.
2-year-old trotting fillies were up next and, as opposed to
the first of the eight Finals, this one went according to form as 3-5
favorite Barn Girl (Cash Hall-Turquoise Sweetie) took the lead in mid-stretch
and held off a strong closing kick from Morcredit Bluechip to score a victory
in 1:57.
Barn Girl is owned by Steven and Nancy Pratt of Corfu, New
York. The trainer is Howard Okusko and she was driven to victory by Jeff
Gregory on Saturday night.
Freshman trotting colts & geldings provided the most
exciting stretch drive of the night as part of a 5-1 entry, Progression (Credit
Winner-Ens Curious), came through an opening on the inside left when the
favored Crazshana drifted out in the lane. Progression's final time was 1:57.4.
Progression is owned by Leigh Raymer, who also trains, of
Delaware, Stephen Moss of Pennsylvania, Harold and Helane Solomon of New York.
Mark Macdonald was the driver on Saturday night.
The sophomore pacing filly race was won in gate-to-wire
fashion by Expose (Artiscape-Good News Lady). She took the lead immediately and
never was headed again as she triumphed in 1:52.4
Expose is owned by Linwood Higgins of Scarborough, Maine and
Stake Your Claim Stable of Seacaucus, New Jersey. Linda Toscano trains and Jim
Morrill Jr. was the winning driver.
Archetto Hanover (Bettor's Delight-Arts Masterpiece) took
the 3-year-old colt and gelding pace after rallying past the favored Murder He
Wrote at the top of the stretch. He went on to win by a length in a final time
of 1:51.4
Archetto Hanover is owned by Paymaq Racing of Illinois, Greg
Gillis of Ontario, Canada, and Louis Willinger of Kentucky. The trainer is Erv
Miller and the winning driver was Marcus Miller.
2-year-old pacing colts and geldings might have provided one
of the more impressive wins of the night from Artistic Major (Art Major-Western
Dancer). Artistic Major (Brent Holland) made the lead at the top of the stretch
and powered away to win by four lengths in a time of 1:52.4.
Artistic Major is owned by David Van Dusen and Michael
Cimaglio of Ohio and Steve Elliott of New Jersey. Steve Elliott doubles as the
trainer.
Freshman pacing fillies followed that and Rock Me Gently
(Rock N Roll Heaven-Cam Swifty) prevailed in what turned into a clustered
finish with multiple horses ending up close together. The final time was 1:55.
Rock Me Gently is owned by Old Block Stables Inc. and
Kenneth Klein of New York and The Fra Stable LLC of New Jersey. The trainer is
Steve Elliott.
The final Final of the Excelsior "A" Series on
Saturday night was 3-year-old trotting fillies and the winner was Dreamsteeler
(Cash Hall-Dream Street) with Jim Morrill Jr. driving. She took the lead right
away and cruised to an easy victory by nine lengths in a final time of 1:56.3
Dreamsteeler is owned by Andrew Herzog of Monticello, New
York and Tracy Brainard is the trainer.
Live racing will resume at Vernon Downs on Thursday night
with an 11-race program. Post time is 6:45pm.
