DOVER, Del.— A 17-1 shot, Linda MacDonald and Susan Durham's harness racing homebred Crosby came from fifth at the three quarters with George Dennis piloting to pass horses in deep stretch for a 2:03.3 victory to win the $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) championship, Check Six and Manhatten Beach won their $35,000 Hap Hansen Progress Pace (HHPP) eliminations while Little Ben beat the top overnight horses at the track for the third straight week, on Monday, Nov. 21 at Dover Downs.
With the three betting favorites drawing outside post, off at even-money, Master Clave and Ross Wolfenden cut out the early :28.2 clocking to the quarter. Several horses took a shot at the leader, with Crosby and driver George Dennis getting away near the back after starting from the rail. Fifth in mid-backstretch Dennis moved Crosby – a Keystone Activator chestnut gelding from Ms. MacDonald and Durham's mare Melody Luv – three-wide to join the leaders and was strongest in the stretch for his second victory of the year.
Mooshine Lavec (Sean Bier) starting from post 8 worked his way up to third and closed along the passing lane to take second in front of Jiggs (Vic Kirby) with Master Clave holding on for fourth. Crosby has now won $79,000 this year. She won the $20,000 DSBF Consolation at Harrington last month and added the Dover Downs $100,000 DSBF Delaware-sired colt and gelding freshman pace final to her record
While Easy Lover Hanover, one of two $25,000 supplements to the event, cut out most of the early pace, Yannick Gingras moved Check Six from third rounding the final turn and outpaced Easy Lover Hanover (Doug McNair) to the wire in 1:51.3 for his 11th win of the season. Weaver Bruscemi, Bill Swila, Jim Martin and Burke Racing own Check Six trained by the sports-leader Ron Burke. Lyons Snyder (David Miller) finished third. JK Will Power (Corey Callahan), fourth, made the final.
In the other division, three horses led by Western Fame, Boston Red Rocks and Stolen Glimpse left fastest in the second $35,000 HHPP elim. After a 26.4 opening panel, Tim Terick moved Boston Red Rocks to the front with Western Fame and Mark MacDonald quickly retaking the front heading to a :56.1 halfmile with Craftship and Corey Callahan moving up into contention.
Matt Kakaley whipped Manhattan Beach out of fifth to come strong to take the lead at the three-quarters in 1:26. Manhattan Beach quickly widened the lead and had plenty left in the lane winning easily in 1:52.4 with Katies Rocker (Dave Miller) second, holding off Boston Red Rocks, who had been locked in at the rail before escaping to finish third, Western Fame, fourth, also qualified for the $316,000 final next Monday (Nov. 28).
In the $27,500 Delaware Special Handicap, Captive Audience (Andrew McCarthy) led a converging field into the final turn. Little Ben and meet leading driver Vic Kirby starting from post 8 waited to make his big move turning for home and the Jereme's Jet-Honey's Bud Lite gelding roared from the far outside to overpower his seven foes for a 1:53 triumph, the third in a-row in the week's top overnight feature, for trainer Jim King and owners Janet Hudson and JoAnn Looney-King,
Tim Tetrick made the winner's circle four times, and Corey Callahan had three winners. Trainers Jeff Bamond and Dylan Davis had doubles.
$100,000 DSBF FINALS CONTINUE; $20,000 MARES OPEN TUESDAY AT DOVER
Spanish Dream, Magicinthemoonlight, Spinpressive and Cashmere’s Delight, all winners in their last start lead a field of eight Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund frosh filly contenders in the $100,000 final topping the Tuesday, Nov. 23 card which contains a $20,000 DSBF consolation and a $20,000 Mares Open pace on the 15-race agenda.
JoAnn Looney-King’s Spanish Dream with regular driver Vic Kirby is the only winner of both $20,000 preliminaries among four lifetime wins and three seconds in eight career starts, but must come from the outside post position. Magicinthemoolight is teamed with Yannick Gingras for owner Linda Condon and Kevin Freeman and won her first victory last week in 1:55.4. Spinpressive, an owner-trainer Lee Louthan homebred, notched an impressive 1:55/2 victory last start with Corey Callahan in the bike. Cashmere’s Delight and Jim Morand chalked up her fifth win in nine seasonal starts last time in DSBF prelims.
The rest of the field includes the fast Logan’s Girl, driven by Ross Wolfenden for owner JoAnn Looney-King, She’s No Spinster, with two consecutive second place finishes for Ashley, Cain, Yencer and co-owner Allan Davis at the controls. The Joel And Denise Halpern-bred fast Westwind Roddylee with Tony Morgan driving, and, trainer-driver Art Stafford Jr. and Wyatt Starkey’s Lunar Phase are the upset minded contenders.
In the $20,000 DSBF Consolation, So Many Friends (George Dennis), Jo Ann Looney King’s Lillisbagsrpacked (Kirby) and KJ Dale (Gingras) head the eight starters.
Leading the rest of the powerful program is the $20,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap pace. JoAnn Looney King’s Purrfect Bags (Kirby) seeks to avenge a surprising odds-on defeat last week. There are two three-year-olds in the lineup, owners David Banks and Layfield Horses' sharp filly Sayulita (Gingras), fresh from two consecutive victories in her last three starts, and George Teague and Teague Racing Partnership’s stakes-seasoned Miss Me Yet (Montrell Teague).
Other .stellar performers in the event are Legacy Racing’s Empress Deo (Allan Davis) and Howard Taylor’s Shine N Shimmer (Callahan), a seven-time winner this year.
Monday through Thursday racing begins at 4:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are ‘dark days’ at the track. Fine food is available while watching the races at the acclaimed Winner's Circle Restaurant Buffet. Call 302-674-4600.
Marv Bachrad