by James Witherite, Vernon Downs racing media
Karma Racing's Southwind Trini ($11.00) got the jump on her
six rivals in Thursday (October 2) night's $10,000 Mares Open Pace at Vernon
Downs, brushing to the lead upon arrival on the backstretch, kicking clear for
a 1:51.3 triumph.
Now a 24-time winner, the six-year-old Rocknroll Hanover
mare was involved in stringing out dueling leaders Park N Orchard (Claude
Huckabone, III) and Seascape Hanover (Aaron Byron) before settling just off a
sizzling :25.4 first quarter. Jim Marohn, Jr. then made his move with
Southwind Trini on the backstretch, clearing easily through a more reasonable
:54.3 half mile. With odds-on favorite Arodasi (Chris Lems) behind slowly
developing cover at the back of the pack with a quarter mile to go, Marohn
turned Southwind Trini loose, extending the lead to four lengths past
mid-stretch. Meanwhile, Arodasi--carried five-wide--charged gamely down
the stand side to pass Dirty Girty (John Cummings, Jr.), who was carried
four-wide after a mild first-over rally. The heavily backed Arodasi only
could muster second, as Southwind Trini held clear by 2-1/2 lengths while kept
to task. Dirty Girty stayed on for third.
Patti Harmon handles the training duties of Southwind Trini,
who earned a new lifetime mark with her seventh win on the year.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday (October 3)
evening, with first post set for 6:45 p.m. EDT.
