The Big Cat pounces

Gunther Unflat’s The Big Cat claimed the featured trot, while Artachebythenumber and Chick Flick were named the meet’s top pacer and trotter, respectively, at Vernon Downs on Friday night.

Howard Okukso Jr., the current campaign’s top driver and trainer secured his 35th victory after he teamed The Big Cat to a come-from-behind 1:57.3 triumph in Friday’s $6,000 ninth race, the week’s top trotting test. Advancing from fifth at the half, the 4-year-old horse had to go three wide around the final bend, but still had enough speed and stamina to rally from third in the homestretch and defeat another closer, Nick Taurus, by 11/2 lengths. The hard-earned tally was the second at the Downs and third this season for the career-winner of $211,232, who is trained by Okusko’s father, Howard Sr.

Artachebythenumber became the meet’s only seven-time winner after Chuck Connor Jr. teamed her to a 1:57.1 triumph in the evening’s fourth race for owner Bob Siemski. The front-striding effort marked the fourth win in a row and 10th in 25 season’s starts for the hard-hitting 5-year-old mare. The Lonny Hale trainee banked $12,029 in her 10 appearances and earned a 1:55.2 win record during the 29-night old meet.

With Dude Goodblood steering for trainer Bill Arthurs, Chick Flick finished a closing second to Joe Burns’ Right Mind in the night’s eighth event, missing her third straight score by just 11/4 lengths. Still, the meet’s only four-time winning trotter banked nearly $7,700 in 11 Vernon ventures for owners Jill and Clayton Johnson and she lowered her lifetime record to 1:59 on two separate occasions.

Newcomer Blue Jean Hanover turned in a bold-going 1:55.2 career-best triumph in the night’s $3,500 seventh race, the week’s top test for female pacers. Bill Bailey drove for trainer Dave Dewhurst and owner Anthony Farina as the 4-year-old mare claimed her third win of 2006.

Okusko enters tonight's final program at Vernon Downs with a 35-33 lead over Connor in the meet’s dash-winning derby. (Vernon Downs)

« Back