Vernon, N.Y. -- Leading driver John MacDonald notched a
five-bagger on Thursday (October 6) evening's eight-race card at Vernon Downs,
sweeping the back half of the program.
The 34-year-old Prince Edward Island native extended his
advantage over Chris Lems in the seasonal table to 40 wins, taking his first
win of the night in a $3,600 trotting event with Empirestateofmind ($5.70,
2:01.1), a 2-year-old daughter of Cantab Hall and Spectacularstarlet he also
trains for owner Ross Bonafield. MacDonald would subsequently team up with Chip
Chip Page ($4.70, 1:58), Andro Madi ($4.90, 1:53.3), I Saw Red ($7.90, 1:54.4),
and Incredible Gambler ($12.80, 1:56.3) to cap his driving quintuple.
Lems accounted for two winners on the evening, including the
featured $9,100 top-level distaff pace, which he won with Super Soph ($3.70).
Lems secured the pocket with the 6-year-old Admirals Galley mare early on,
angled off the pegs with five-sixteenths to go, and dueled down pacesetter
Southern Girl (Fern Paquet, Jr.) by way of a :26.1 closing sectional to prevail
in 1:54.1 for owner Mark Wamp and trainer Jackie Rousse.
Live racing returns to Vernon Downs with a 10-race card on
Friday (October 7) evening; post time is 6:45 p.m. Eastern.
