DOVER, Del. — Hoboken Hanover ended Jingle Bell Rocker's five-race win streak while Smart Rokker took the Male pace and Brioni won a third-straight in Sunday, Jan. 10 harness racing features at Dover Downs. Tony Morgan and Jonathan Roberts tripled.
Jonathan Roberts capped a three-win day driving owner-trainer Bobby Glassmeyer's Hoboken Hanover to a 1:56.1 triumph ending a win streak that dates back to meet opening week. For Hoboken Hanover, it was the 42nd career victory lifting the Cam's Card Shark-Haps Hanover gelding to earnings of $301,888. Magic Cam (George Dennis) finished second with Alex In Wonderland (Sean Bier) third. Jingle Bell Rocker (Ross Wolfenden) was fourth.
In one of the co-feature paces, Roberts moved Smart Rokker to the outside on the final turn then sped-away for a 1:54.1 victory. Brian Malone trains the altered son of Rocknroll Hanover-Sassy Newton he owns with Peter and Peter Venturini III. The win was the 17th lifetime success for the six-year-old gelding who now has won $133,777. Roddy's Hot Again (Dennis) was runner-up. Lettucefib A (A.Stafford Jr.) was the show horse.
Brioni, piloted by Marcus Miller, made it three-in-a row winning a $15,000 Claiming Allowance. Claimed for $10,000 last month by Arty Foster, the Four Starzz Shark-Armbro Bahama horse has stepped up for consecutive wins. Native Art (Montrell Teague) and NJ Law (Bret Brittingham) finished second and third respectively.
Tony Morgan joined Jonathan Roberts with three wins Art Stafford Jr., trainer Tim Crisman and Crisman Inc. had two wins apiece.
MAJOR UPTREND HEADS $30,000 PREFERRED, MUSTANG ART, $27,500 DELAWARE SPECIAL
A pair of recent fast winners, Major uptrend and Mustang Art, respectively, return in the $30,000 Preferred/Handicap and $27,500 Delaware Special twin-features on Monday, Jan. 11 at Dover Downs.
Major Uptrend uncorked a lifetime best 1:49.1 two weeks ago in the previous Preferred, with Corey Callahan holding the lines for trainer Doug Lewis and owner Howard Taylor, scoring wire-to-wire. Two other starters, Rich Pollucci’s fast Dapper Dude of the Jim King Stable, with Tim Tetrick, back from a month-long vacation in Australia, finished third, while Bamond Racing’s Snap To It with Brett Miller in the bike, was fourth.
Stepping up from an impressive Del. Special performances last week, Sweet Rock, owned by Reg Hazzard, G.P. Calloway and Legacy Racing, scored a 1:50.2 victory with Allan Davis. Kovach Stable’s Del. Special regular, Feel Like A Fool and Montrell Teague leaves from the rail. Another speedster, Weaver Bruscemi, RTC Stables and Burke Racing’s Speed Again (Yannick Gingras), fresh from a 1:50.3 score last time completes the select field.
Max Walton and Greg Papleo’s Mustang Art (B.Miller), who always has raced well in Dover features, was a 1:51 winner last Monday from post 9 in the second tier. Rusty Carter and trainer Doug Lewis’ Captive Audience (Callahan) was a close second with Reggie Hazzard and Legacy Racing’s Bad Boy Matt (A.Davis) third.
Little Ben (Tetrick) has been racing at the top of his game for Janet Hudson and JoAnn Looney-King, and makes his first start in two weeks. Driver Art Stafford and brother Andrew Stafford’s Framed Art must overcome starting from the outside. Elizabeth Brittingham’s Raritan Bay (Bret Brittingham) has never been better. Completing the lineup is Don’t Ya Know (Gingras).
Two $15,000 and a $14,000 pace for young horses head a strong undercard.
Marv Bachrad