I have many fond memories from Vernon Downs when times were better.
They include Neville Pride winning the Gold Cup Trot...Harry Harvey
with Albatross as a two year old...Cory, son of the great Bret
Hanover bowing his head in the winner's circle, like his sire and
Staedy Star pacing 2:00 in the mud.

The greatest race I ever saw was won by a French trotter named
Sophora. He had won 9 races in a row and was going off at short odds
for his tenth try. He banged his head on the gate and made a bad
break in the chute. At the quarter pole his was 25 lengths behind.
Once he got flat, all he did was trot like the wind. He won in 2:00
flat, but considering how far behind he was, it was more like a 1:55,
which at the time would have been the world trotting record.