DOVER, DE — Art Stafford Jr. took Celebrity Pegasus to the outside in mid backstretch and came on to notch a 1:56.1 triumph on a windy and cold Ides of March feature race, Wednesday, March 15 at Dover Downs.
Celebrity Pegasus and leader Bluebird Reverend races as a team from the three-quarters until turning for home before Celebrity Pegasus pulled away for his second straight and fourth victory of the meet for trainer Eric Ell and owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar, Steve Iaquinta and Minisink Farm.
Bluebird Reverend (Montrell Teague) was second in front of Hollywood Highway (Ross Wolfenden) third. The victory for Celebrity Pegasus, a five-year-old son of Andover Hall-Celebrity Athena, was his 16th lifetime making his career earnings $178,610.
After two straight seconds, Bobby Glassmeyer's Streamsong got back in the winner's circle In a $13,000 sub feature for 4&5-Year-Old trotters, when Jonathan Roberts piloted a 1:57.4 wire-to-wire decision, his third of the year. United B (Russ Forster) closed for second. Myclaimtovictory (Kin Vincent) was third.
A 31-1 longshot Five Towns, claimed after consecutive second-place finishes last week by Tate Lewis, moved three wide around the final turn by Frank Milby to get the lead at the top of the stretch then held off fast charging Il Mago (Tim Tetrick) to score a 1:57.1, victory by a neck in a $12,000 trot. War Cry Hall (Wolfenden) who led briefly after the three quarters, held on for third. Five Towns, who has been claimed twice since early February, won for the third time this year. The gelding by Andover Hall-Southwind Maywood, won for the 29th time in his career and upped his lifetime earnings to $306,772.
Razor sharp Guiltywithanexcuse was at the top of his game putting away Deacons Valley (Stafford Jr.) after a head-to-head 1:56 battle heading to the last turn. Tim Tetrick drove the Classic Photo-Gold Medalist gelding to his fifth victory this meet for trainer Jim King and owners RBH Ventures and Spagnola Racing. Gillie The Kid (Vic Kirby) was the show horse.
Art Stafford, trainer Eric Ell and owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta, along with Tim Tetrick and trainer Jim King, had doubles.
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By Marv Bachrad, for Dover Downs