A trio of Truman Gale trainees sparkled in Saturday (Apr. 5)
morning's qualifying session at Vernon Downs, with Ocean Mist turning in a
dominant 1:56.2 effort.
The five-year-old Artiscape gelding registered a 19-length
win in the morning's second qualifier, pulling well clear of pocket-sitting
Newyrorkstateofmind in a sparkling :27.3 third quarter with Gale in tow before
maintaining a wide margin on the rest of the field through a stretch headwind.
Gale trainee Painite (2:00) turned in the fastest trotting mile in the eight-race
session, with Artic Byrd (1:58.2) rounding out the "New York Night
Train"'s dynamite trio.
Of 43 horses to face starter Mark Phillips in the morning's
session, 36 met qualifying standards. Opening Night for the 2014 Vernon
Downs season is slated for Friday, April 11, with first post at 6:45 p.m.
