--- In cnyharnessracingenthusiasts@yahoogroups.com, acs_joel
<no_reply@y...> wrote:
> 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.

I've seen a lot of great races, I'm 44 years old and my first time at
the track was at 9 years old. Call for Rain winning the Breeders Crown
at Scioto Downs in 1988 when it seemed Jaguar Spur had the race won
easily was a big eye opener. He seemed to hit an extra gear nipping
Jaguar at the wire in track record 1:53.2.
Life Sign winning The Jug in 1993 was heart stopping.

But the race that I'll never forget was won by a conditioned pacer at
Scioto named Fashion Gun in 1970. It was an unusual once around 5/8
mile dash. Their were 8 pacers in the race, some were open horses,
some were claimers. Fashion Gun exploded from the starting gate on top
and by the 1/4 mile in 27 flat had a 10 length lead. As he hit the
backside turn he was some 30 to 32 lengths on top and the Friday nite
crowd was going crazy.

But as he approached the head of the stretch, you could see he hit a
wall, as he was tiring badly and slowing down. The field was
desperatley and quickly approaching. The driver was urging Fashion Gun
as wildly as he could, but Fashion Gun was done pacing. With less than
20 yards and still on top, he had slowed to a walk! As they hit the
finish line the field blitzed by him like he was almost literally
standing still. He had won! The first and only time I have ever seen
a horse walk to the finish line and win.