Looney Dune dominates Vernon distaffers
Vernon, N.Y. – Ellen McNeil’s Looney
Dune ($4.10) proved simply dominant at even money in Thursday (October 20)
evening’s featured $6,100 distaff pace at Vernon Downs, controlling the pace en
route to an eight-length win.
The 8-year-old Bettor’s Delight mare
sprinted clear from her outside post 5 with ease, leading pocket rival Love You
Bye (Fern Paquet, Jr.) through early sectionals of :26.2 and :55. With
five-sixteenths of the mile to go, Ben McNeil encouraged Looney Dune to
accelerate away, and she responded by mounting an eight-length lead while
driven out to a 1:51.2 triumph. Tiger Boudoir (Truman Gale) wedged through up
the pegs to claim the runner-up spot, while Jinxy’s Delight (John MacDonald)
rallied off stalled cover to take third, another length back.
John McNeil, III trains Looney Dune,
whose sixth seasonal win increased her career tally to 39. For Ben McNeil, the
win capped a driving double on the nine-race card. Chris Lems, John MacDonald,
and Fern Paquet, Jr. also accounted for two wins apiece.
Live racing returns to the Miracle Mile
with a 10-race card on Friday (October 21) evening; post time is 6:45 p.m.
Eastern.
