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Saturday, June 4, 2016

Pounce K wires top Vernon trotters; Lems wins three

Vernon, N.Y. -- Regina Dewhurst's Pounce K ($10.80) sprinted clear and never looked back in the top-level $7,500 Miracle Mile Trot at Vernon Downs on Friday (June 3) evening.

Chris Lems vaulted clear with the 6-year-old Donato Hanover gelding through a :27.1 quarter mile, out-sprinting all five of his inside rivals. He would go unchallenged through a comfortable :58 middle half, sprinting clear off the far turn as the first-over Winding Hill (Jimmy Whittemore) worked into second over Keystone Thomas (Robert Leslie), who gapped the pocket off the far turn. Pounce K held clear of Winding Hill by 1-1/2 lengths in the end, completing the mile in 1:53.4 over fast going. Odds-on favorite War Hero (Howard Okusko, Jr.) stalked Winding Hill's cover en route to a third-place finish.

David Dewhurst trains Pounce K. For driver Lems, the featured win was one of three on the nine-race program, with the other two aboard Reve Royale ($3.80, 1:55.1) and Winbak Meadow ($5.30, 1:57).

Another nine-race card is on tap at the Miracle Mile on Saturday (June 4). Post time is set for 6:45 p.m. Eastern.