Vernon, N.Y. -- Connie Hochstetler's Southern Girl ($5.90)
battled resolutely to capture Thursday (July 28) evening's $5,500 featured
Miracle Mile event for distaff pacers at Vernon Downs, digging deep once headed
off the far turn en route to a 1:51.4 victory.
Fern Paquet, Jr. cleared to the lead with the 4-year-old
Sportsmaster mare in the opening stages, out-sprinting Love You Bye (Jimmy
Whittemore) through a :27.2 first quarter before relaxing the pace just a bit
up the backstretch. Southern Girl was forced to accelerate on the far turn by
the first-over The Filly Princess (Truman Gale)--the two dueled through a :27.1
third quarter with The Filly Princess working a head in front on approach to
the home straight. Southern Girl responded in kind, forcefully repelling The
Filly Princess in upper stretch and holding clear of a stand-side push from
Jinxy's Delight (John MacDonald) by 1-1/2 lengths. The Filly Princess faded to
third.
Homer Hochstetler trains Southern Girl, who scored her fifth
win on the season and the tenth of her career.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Friday (July 29)
evening, with the first of nine races due off at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.
