No More Gold N wins Vernon Debut

No More Gold N continued his winning ways with a 1:56 mile over a track labeled good due to a late afternoon thunder storm in the $10,000 Open trot at Vernon Downs on Thursday night, Aug. 23.

Making his Vernon Downs debut, No More Gold N gained control of the lead shortly after the start of the 11th event and remained in charge en route to a 1 3/4-length victory, his third in succession and sixth this season. Trainer Keith Kash Jr. did the teaming for The Inquisitive Stable and Melinda Kash as the steady striding 9-year-old gelding increased his current winnings to more than $41,200 after 19 current appearances. The time missed his record, earned at Tioga Downs on August 12, by one tick of the timer.

Leading dash winner Josh Marks teamed LB Maya Indian to a 1:55.1 triumph in Thursday’s third event, which proved to be the fastest of the evening’s 12 races. It was the second tally in the past three trips to the track for the 3-year-old filly, who is trained by George Deak Jr. and owned by Jason Topi.

Catch-driver Howard Okusko Jr. guided CJ’s Victory to a front striding 1:59.4 score in the quickest of three divisions of a $29,400 New York-bred late-closing contest for 3-year-old male trotters. The time was a personal best for the gelded son of Majestic Victory, who is 11 starts into his initial campaign. Okusko’s father, Howard Sr., conditions the two-time winner for the Perry Racing Stable.

Thursday’s other late-closing winners were Billboard King, in 2:00.1 for trainer-driver Claude Huckabone Jr. and his dad, Claude Huckabone Sr., and Molson T, in 2:00.2 for driver-trainer Kirk Desmond and owner Dennis Beaver.

The Lonny Hale-trained Tallamore became the meet’s winningest trotter after a 1:57.2 performance for driver Jimmy Whittemore in Thursday’s ninth event. The convincing front-ending effort resulted in the sixth Vernon victory, and seventh overall score this season for the 4-year-old mare, who is owned by Joe Burns and Kathleen Sheridan.

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