Vernon Downs ends season

David Krol’s sophomore colt pacer Western Prize raced resolutely on the front end throughout the 10 th race to capture Saturday night’s $8,000 Open Handicap feature on closing night at Vernon Downs.

Jimmy Whittemore, who earlier in the program was presented with the season’s most promising driver award, did the teaming for trainer Timothy Dunlap. He kept Western Prize alert and alive throughout the mile test and helped the son of Western Ideal defeat Whelan Mike by 11/2 lengths. The 1:52.1 clocking resulted in a new win mark for the career winner of more than $32,000, who secured his second local score and ninth tally overall of 2006.

Whittemore, who finished his first season at the Downs with 21 victories, good for fourth place on the meet’s dash-winning chart, also steered the aged pacer Sunset Celebration to a 1:56 triumph in the $3,200 seventh race for trainer Dave Dewhurst and the M5 Racing Stable. It marked his fourth driving double of the campaign.

In addition to Whittemore’s Rising Star Award, Howard Okusko Jr. was honored as the 30-night meet’s top driver and trainer, while Jeffrey Gural was named the Good Guy Award recipient by the track and the Vernon Chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Assoc.

Okusko, who completed Vernon’s fall campaign with 36 first-place finishes, steered the Purple Haze Stable’s 3-year-old filly pacer Wanda’s Choice to a 1:54.1 showing in Saturday’s $4,725 eighth event, which resulted in a new win record, her third straight score and sixth victory at the meet.

A crowd of more than 1,700 fans was on hand to help the track complete its 53rd live harness racing season.

“It was great having this historic track back in harness again,” said Jason Settlemoir, vice-president of racing operations at Vernon and Tioga Downs. “The crowds here have been great, and we thank everyone associated with the track and the community for their support. As successful as this meet has been, we look forward to an even better, fuller season in 2007, which, with state regulatory approval, should start in early April.”

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