Vernon Downs: Yes Mickey upsets Ariana G, Devious Man in Zweig

Ake Svanstedt's hot hand continued on Friday night as 34-1 shot Yes Mickey upset 1-2 favorite Ariana G in the $320,000 Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial at Vernon Downs.

Yes Mickey left the gate with purpose from the inside but yielded to Long Tom before the 26 4/5 opening quarter. When Long Tom yielded to the favorite Ariana G at the 55 1/5 half, it appeared as if Yes Mickey was in a tough spot.

Devious Man came out on the final bend and briefly flushed pocket-sitter Long Tom. With the pocket vacated, Svanstedt suddenly had room to move, and Ariana G couldn't gain separation after a three-quarters clocked in 1:23 3/5.

Ariana G held gamely through the lane, but the rail was opened, and Svanstedt took the shortest route possible to score in a career-best 1:51 2/5 clocking over a track listed sloppy but playing quite fast. Ariana G finished second, and Devious Man came in third, followed by International Moni and Bill's Man.

Owned by Mel;by Gard Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida, Yes Mickey returned $71 to win. The gelding won for the second time in nine starts this year. having finished second six times.

"He's a very nice horse; he's just had a hard time winning," said Svanstedt. "He felt very good the whole way, and he did it easy."

Lindy The Great and Scott Zeron captured the $70,000 Zweig consolation in a career-best 1:52 2/5 clocking. The homebred by Crazed was making just his second start of the year for trainer Frank Antonacci.