Vernon, N.Y. -- Margaret and Amy Butler's J A T O ($3.80)
seized control of the terms early and never looked back on his way to a third
consecutive victory in Friday (September 23) evening's featured $10,500 Miracle
Mile/Open Handicap Trot at Vernon Downs.
Chris Lems put the 4-year-old Conway Hall gelding in play
from the outset, pushing clear of My Lucky Word (Fern Paquet, Jr.) and Gimme
the Cash (Claude Huckabone, III) through a :28.3 first quarter before easing
the tempo on the backstretch. With five-sixteenths of the mile to go, 22-1
longshot Oh No Three O (Jeff Long) mounted a first-over challenge, working to
within a length of J A T O at the completion of a :58.4 middle half but
leveling off at head-stretch. J A T O maintained control comfortably while
hand-driven through the straight, keeping Oh No Three O a length at bay for a
1:55.2 score. Prairie Fortune (Mike Deters) showed mild staying power off
second-over cover to save third on debut from Tioga.
Howard Okusko trains J A T O, who remains undefeated at
Vernon Downs by way of his 31st career triumph.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs on Saturday (September
24) evening, with the first of 13 races due off at 6:45 p.m. Eastern.
