Vernon, N.Y. -- Charlene Long's Oh No Three O ($8.10) passed
all four of his rivals in Friday (July 29) evening's featured $8,000 Miracle
Mile/Open Trot at Vernon Downs, accelerating once free in upper stretch to
collar 3-4 favorite A Penny Earned in the last 40 yards.
Claude Huckabone, III settled Oh No Three O to the back of
the compact field from the outset, taking no part in the pacesetting
proceedings while A Penny Earned (Chris Lems) strode out to a clear lead via a
blistering :26.2 first quarter. While Gimme the Cash (Jimmy Whittemore)
made steady first-over gains to keep A Penny Earned from fully relaxing on the
lead, Oh No Three O saved ground through a :58 middle half.
As the outer flow weakened off the far turn, Oh No
Three O managed to gain third up the pegs and subsequently switched to the
two-path just outside the eighth pole. He accelerated at once, mowing down A
Penny Earned in deep stretch and sprinting off by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:53.4. Twice
Too Nice (John MacDonald) was fully extended in her pursuit from the pocket,
finishing another 3-3/4 lengths back in third.
Paul Long trains Oh No Three O, now a 30-time winner. The
1:53.4 mile was good for a seasonal mark and his fourth victory in 2016.
In the sub-featured event, a $5,500 Miracle Mile trot, My
Lucky Word ($16.00) left from post 8 to secure a pocket trip behind Ozymandias
(Roman Lopez) off a fast pace before pouncing in upper stretch for a 1:54.1
victory. Jimmy Whittemore drove the 4-year-old Lucky Chucky mare for owner
Philip Hale and trainer David Dewhurst.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday (July 30)
evening, with an 11-race card set to commence at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.
