Under The Bus (Truman Gale) charged late to win the harness racing featured fillies and mare pace ($6,500) at Vernon Downs on Friday (September 28).
Jaclyn Hanover (John MacDonald) controlled the early fractions (:25.4, :55.0, 1:24.0).
Angel Speak (Claude Huckabone III) popped the pocket at the top of the stretch to take a short lead. Under The Bus ($9.10), who is owned by Hossman LLC., and trained by Robert Gale , came flying in deep stretch to win her third straight victory with a time tonight of 1:52.4. A Wish For Wings (Fern Paquet Jr.) fired late to finish second. Angel Speak held on to take third money.
Under The Bus is a 4-year-old mare by Art Major. It was her sixth win of the season and her 10th career victory.
Bluffton (Homer Hochstetler) captured the nights top trot race ($6,000).
Tournamant (Jimmy Whittemore) jumped out of the gate to lead to a first quarter of :27.3. Bluffton ($7.10) took over on the backstretch hitting the half in :57.3 and three-quarters in 1:26.3. Trained by Hochstetler for fellow owners Connie Hochstetler, Richard Buddig, and Alan Schwartz, he held off a late rush by second place finisher Cash N Chrome (Claude Huckabone III) to win in 1:55.2. If Not Why Not (Claude Huckabone Jr.) was third.
Bluffton is a 3-year-old gelding by Muscle Mass. It was his fifth career win in 13 lifetime starts. All his wins were this season.
Hochstetler and Joe Nassimos had driver-trainer doubles on the night. Hochstetler's other win came with First Call ($10.40). Nassimos got his victories with Velocity Kelli ($3.20) and The Big Muscle ($2.70).
Vernon Downs returns to live racing with a 13 race card on Saturday (September 29) starting at 6:10 p.m.
For more information go to www.vernondowns.com
by John Horne, for Vernon Downs