Vernon Downs played host
to the Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Open Trot and the Fillies Trot for
3-year-olds on Saturday (August 28).
Spy Booth (Dexter Dunn)
rallies to capture the $325,000 Zweig Open Trot.
Ambassador Hanover (Ake
Svanstedt) charged right to the front.
The big favorite Dancinginthedark M went on a break at the start of the
race. Ambassador Hanover went to the
quarter first in :27.0. Balenciaga
(Scott Zeron) made a first over-move and challenged down the backstretch. Ambassador Hanover had a short lead to the
half in :56.3. Balenciaga battled
Ambassador Hanover all the way around the final turn. Balenciaga took control and led to
three-quarters in 1:24.1.
As they made the turn for
home Spy Booth ($21,60) came flying down the stretch and took over the lead and
braced for a late move by Take All Comers (David Miller). Spy Booth held on to win his first career
race in 1:52.3. It was the first time
the Zweig was won by a maiden. Take All
Comers was second but placed fifth for interference in the stretch. Balenciaga was awarded second with Zenith
Stride (Andrew McCarthy) getting third money.
Spy Booth is a 3-year-old
gelding by Muscle Hill. He is trained by
Nancy Takter for owners John Fielding, David Anderson, Robert LeBlanc, and
Marvin Katz. It was his first career
victory.
Darlene Hanover wins the
$140,000 Zweig Memorial Filly Trot.
Contested Hanover (Tim Tetrick),
Splash Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt), and Iteration (Brian Sears) all left for the
lead and were three across the track as they headed for the first turn. Iteration wrestled the lead away and led to
the first quarter in :27.1. Iteration
used a :30.3 second quarter to hit the half in :57.4. Darlene Hanover made her move first-over
going around the far turn. Iteration
still led to three-quarters in 1:26.4.
As they reached the
stretch Darlene Hanover blew right on by and breezed home to win easily in
1:53.4. Aunt Irene (Dexter Dunn) came
closing late to finish second. Contested
Hanover was third.
Darlene Hanover is a
filly by Chapter Seven. She is owned by
Yankeeland partners and trained by Brett Bittle. It was her third win of the season and seventh
career victory.
Big longshot, Bare My
Soul wins the $51,300 first division of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for
2-year-old trotting fillies.
Gertrude (Andy Miller)
jumped to the lead and controlled all the early fractions (:27.1, :57.3,
1:27.1) as Bare My Soul ($67.50) followed in the pocket.
As they reached the
stretched Bare My Soul slipped through the inside as Valentina Blu (Andrew
McCarthy) came three-wide with late trot.
Bare My Soul dug in and won in 1:54.4.
Valentina Blu had to settle for second.
Gertrude held for third.
Bare My Soul is a filly
by Chapter Seven-Celebrity Angel. She is
trained by Linda Toscano for owners Richard Gutnick, Tom Pontone, Joe Lozito
Jr., and Enviro Stables. It was her
first career victory.
Joviality S (Brian Sears)
charges late to wins the $50,400 second division.
Cash Infusion (Mark
MacDonald) went to the lead and hit the first quarter first in :27.3. She led to the half in :57.4 and to
three-quarters in 1:27.0.
As they reached the
stretch Joviality S ($2.10) made her move and got by second place finisher Cash
Infusion in deep stretch to win in 1:54.3.
She’s A Scorcher (Scott Zeron) was third.
Joviality S is a
2-year-old filly by Chapter Seven-Pasithea Face. She is owned by Courant Inc. and trained by
Marcus Melander. It was her fourth win
in five career starts.
Also, on the night David
Miller drove the Ron Burke trained Cattlewash to a track record for 4-year-old
horses in 1:49.0 in the $10,000 Open-Preferred Pace.
Vernon Downs returns to
live racing on Friday (September 3).
Post time is 6:10 p.m.
For more information go
to www.vernondowns.com
