Dover Downs 47th will go down as one of the finest in track history. From opening day, Nov. 2 through Mid-April, the track featured many of the top events, horses and horsemen in the sport.
For the first time all eight Matron Finals were featured on one card, Nov. 12. The 2015 Horse of the Year, Wiggle It Jiggleit raced early and late in the meet, He won four times led by the $300,000 Hap Hansen Progress Pace and Matron Stakes, and Older Trotter of the Year JL Cruse were major attractions.
During its annual Winter meet, the track offered the best programs in the sport. The Preferred, Delaware Special and Open paces were featured on giant Monday cards, top female features, and excellent trotting headliners during each week, highlighted by the top horses, stables and horsemen. There were four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund two-year-old finals in 2015 and four three-year-old $100,000 finals in April.
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The 2015-2016 Dover Downs season came to a close with a full week of $100,000 DSBF Three-Year-Old Championship 2016 finals. The top 8 point-getters in each of four divisions after two prelims closed out Dover Downs' 47th season. Chipoffthewall, the freshman champ trotter and odds-on favorite was victim of an interference break and 14-1 Seafood Scrappy, also victim of an early break, came back to win the soph trot for Ross Wolfenden. Use Your Noodle won the filly pace, the first of two for Jim Morand, trainer Les Givens and part-owners Henry Faragalli III and Nanticoke Racing who also won the male pace with Next Success. Cicada's Song and Carlo Poliseno caught Epic Smash to win the filly trot final.
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During November 2015, the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) showcased its two-year-olds in its program. The winners of $100,000 DSBF Freshman Finals were: John's Dream reined by Tim Tetrick in the Colt Pace. Chipoffthewall handled by Tony Morgan, was an easy winner of the Male Trot in 1:58.4, track record time. The DSBF Filly Trot was a surprise win for Triple Bottom Line and Jeff Fout. Apple Bottom Jeans and driver Montrell Teague won the DSBF Filly Final easily, after she won the Harrington Final in October.
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Everything worked out well for owner-trainer (and usual driver) Chuck Perry in the $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) Two-Year-Old Male Pace 2015 Final. His colt John's Dream, driven by Tim Tetrick, who did not have a drive in the final, and was winning catch-driver in 1:54.2 over a sloppy track on Thursday (11/19).
John's Dream won his fifth in a row. Including the $44,700 Virginia stakes championship, to up his seasonal bankroll to $102,327. Perry bought March On It, a 24-year-old Winbak Farm dispersal, at Chick's Sale in Harrington for only $300. When she dropped the foal back home, he would be eligible for the Virginia stakes.
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In November 2015, the Dover Downs' signature event was renamed the Hap Hansen Progress Pace to honor the former Brandywine Raceway and Dover Downs administrator W.E. Hap Hansen. On the initial occasion of the re-naming, Karen Schultze, Hap Hansen's daughter, and Denis McGlynn, Dover Downs Hotel and Casino Chairman, led the winner's circle presentation to Wiggle It Jiggleit, the winner of the 20th edition of the event.
They were joined by several from Hap Hansen's career including former Brandywine Raceway employees, Joe Asher, now CEO of William Hill, US, Judy Davis-Wilson, Executive Director Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund, Chris McErlean, VP- Racing at Penn National Gaming and Charles Lockhart VP-Horse Racing, Dover Downs Inc. who was Cloverleaf SOA executive director during Hansen's administration.
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World champion trotter JL Cruze, who made his second 2016 start a winning one in a $36,000 Open Preferred trot, a week before meet closing .Dave Briggs in Harness Racing Update wrote an outstanding story on the internet on JL Cruze and owner Ken Wood's project, digging wells in Ghana and Tanzania.
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There was no change in season-ending awards this meet. Corey Callahan won the leading dash-win title for the seventh straight year. Dylan Davis was again the Leading Trainer crown for the third consecutive season.
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In driver standings, Corey Callahan won 182 race., Tony Morgan was strong in late season. The second-leading driver in North American history finished in second place with 145. George Dennis moved into third place with 134 wins. Allan Davis ,fourth at 131 winners while Ross Wolfenden was fifth, 115 wins. Tim Tetrick was the only other in three digits with 114.
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Trailing Dylan Davis' leading 75 wins among trainers, was Jim King, second, with 57 wins. A late season burst moved Kevin Lare into third place with 49 winners. Wayne Givens is fourth with 41, while Josh Green, fifth with 40 wins, one more win than Les Givens, 39.
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Yannick Gingras, who had 39 winning drives, had the highest Universal Driver Rating (UDR), similar to a batting average, during the meet at .438. Bret Brittingham, who missed several months due to an arm injury, was second at .422. Tim Tetrick, third, batted .359. Corey Callahan had a .333 average with Tony Morgan fifth, with .303.
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Don Brittingham, 25 wins, had the top average for a trainer with a .467 ranking. Ron Burke, a 17 race winner, was second .432. Les Givens .410 was third. Dylan Davis .401 and Scott DiDomenico .361 were fourth and fifth respectively.
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One of the largest live crowds of the year saw a world record and two track records in three of four Matron Three-Year-Old Finals Thursday (11/12). the eight 2015 Matron Stakes became history on Thursday (11/12) .
While Hambletonian Society /Breeders Crown poll top-rated Wiggle It Jiggleit impressed with a 1:49.4 triumph in the $201,900 Male pace, Mission Brief set a world record 1:50.2 in the $187,400 Filly trot. Crazy Wow romped by 7-lengths in track record time 1:52 to win the $243,550 Male Trot and Mosquito Blue Chip, a track record 1:49.2 winning the $205,150 Filly Pace.
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In March, a large contingent of Delaware harness fans had a big night is in the spotlight at the U.S. Harness Writers Association's (USHWA) annual "Night of Champions' Awards-Dinner in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. where the 2015 outstanding individual and horse standouts were saluted., The Dan Patch Award winners include an abundant number of first state horses and horsemen were honored with many of the major honors. The incomparable, world champion Wiggle It Jiggleit was named Horse of the Year, Pacer of the Year and 3-Year-Old Pacer of 2015. George Teague was Owner of the Year, driver Montrell Teague, the "Rising Star' Award winner. JoAnn Looney-King was named USHWA's 'Good Guy' Award winner and World champion JL Cruze, Trotter of the Year honors.
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The month of November 2015 belonged to Wiggle It Jiggleit. Three starts-three wins; The $200,900 Matron and Hap Hansen Progress Pace $35,000 elim and $300,000 final, all supported by the biggest crowds in years at Dover Downs.
During the year, the three-year-old gelding pacer set age/gender/gait world records over a mile track and a five-eighths-mile track, and closed out his sophomore season with a dominating 1:48.2 track record. The clocking shaved one-fifth of a second off the former track record for three-year-old pacing geldings set in 2013 by Vegas Vacation, also a former Little Brown Jug winner.
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Wiggle It Jiggleit started his sophomore season with a January 2016 win at Dover Downs and ended in similar fashion in late November. He was race favorite in all but one of his 26 races resulting in 22 wins and three seconds earning $2,314,493 in purses for George Teague Inc. The dark bay pacer also made driver Montrell Teague and trainer Clyde Francis, easily recognized around the sport. A double millionaire pacer and 23-time lifetime winner, 16 in sub-1:50.
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Commenting in the winner's circle, Montrell Teague said, "He went 1:48 from January until November; pretty much a whole year." Owner, Montrell's dad, George Teague said, "It's been a heck of a ride, we didn't duck anything, I wanted to play with everybody and everybody wanted to play with us. You have to pick your spots. We just managed him the best we could, picked our major spots where the money was, the competition didn't matter."
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Then at Dover Downs in late March, Wiggle It Jiggleit won the biggest race of the early 2016 season, the $60,000 Invitational/Handicap. The 2015 Horse of the Year, Wiggle It Jiggleit, makes his first start as a four-year-old and breezed to an easy 1:51.4 victory. in the $60,000 Invitational/Handicap pace. The $2.2-million winner who won four races at Dover Downs during the meet: the Matron Stake and the rich Hap Hansen Progress Pace elim and final.
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Late January was a big time for 'Team Teague.' George and Montrell Teague, trainer Clyde Francis and caretaker, Mike Taylor, made the news when the Delaware legislature and Gov. Markell saluted Wiggle It Jiggleit- 2015 Horse of the Year. Taylor later was the sport's Groom of the Year.
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Delaware harness racing was prominent in the March 2016 issue of Hoof Beats magazine. The issue contained an outstanding biography with photos of world champion and 2015 Horse of the Year, Wiggle It Jigglit, authored by Charlene Sharp. There also is an excellent profile on 18-year-old Logan Powell of Felton, Del., by Eileen McClory, in its 'harness heroes' section. Currently, Powell is a high school senior who plans to go to Delaware State University, Powell also has driven horses for two years, winning 27 times.
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Wakazashi Hanover, trained by Jo Ann King of Harrington was winner of the 2015 $1-million North America Cup. The $1-million winner was named Canadian 3-year-old Pacer of the Year at the 27th annual Standardbred Canada's O'Brien Awards Black Tie Banquet in Mississauga, Ont.
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Veteran Dover Downs' horseman and humanitarian Ken Wood returned from Western Africa after his 40th roundtrip in February. Wood is continuing his personal contribution to bring drinking water to the nations of Ghana and Tanzania.
For the past six years, Wood has dug and installed almost 1,500 wells for drinking water for the many thousands of native residents. Prior to Wood's personal challenge to get safe drinking water to the natives, they had to walk approximately five mile to reach often contaminated water.
More recently Wood has expanded his drilling to a second African nation, Tanzania. Wood, a longtime resident of Denton, Md., has been a popular and successful horseman racing for around four decades at Middle Atlantic region and Meadowlands harness racetracks. Wood and son, Ben, operate a highly respected well-drilling company located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, not far from Delaware.
The deeply religious Wood became aware of an urgent need for good drinking water in the poor West African nation of Ghana and Tanzania. At his own expense, Wood sent his drilling equipment by boat and flew to West Africa to see in person the need for fresh water. Wood donated his digging equipment and personally purchased other necessities estimated at many hundreds of thousands of dollars, to his on-going project. Wood's crusade has only been aided by a number of Rotary clubs and has been recognized by AARP.
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On Feb. 9, Tim Tetrick won four races including his #9,000 and 9,001 to become the youngest to reach this platy. Ironically on the same program, three drivers accounted for four wins each -12 of the 15 races. Tetrick's four bagger, joined Tony Morgan and George Dennis, with four wins apiece. Tetrick then won four races again, the next night.
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Winning Mondays in January and Yannick Gingras were virtually synonymous during the New Year. During the last four Mondays of the month, Gingras won 20 races; First week, five races, then another five, followed by four and then six races, all on Dover's Monday cards. Tim Tetrick then recorded six wins (1/20).
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The 19th Delaware Standardbred Owners Association (DSOA) Awards-Dinner was held on Friday, Jan. 15 in Dover. Popular TV hostess Heather Vitale emceed the well-attended annual event. The DSOA honored the 2015 leading horses at Dover Downs and Harrington and Art Stafford Jr., Horizon Award winner.
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The saga of pacer Doctor McSwing continued through the season. The 5-year-old is the track's richest maiden pacer in 2015-2016. DurIng his winless career, now at 71 races, Doctor McSwing has won $63,800 in purses. Since racing as a 2-year-old, he has finished second 16-times with 13 thirds.
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Bullitt Blue, a homebred, owned and trained by veteran Howard Birney, became the biggest-price payoff of the meet, scoring a 90-1 victory in 1:54.2. It was his second career win. The next biggest price of the meet was registered when 89-1 shot Hillbillysweetshrk, driven by trainer-driver Art Stafford Jr. made the winner's circle on 3/2/16 in 1:51 for a lifetime record,PT Stable's Jetomatt and George Dennis stormed home first via the passing lane at 63-1 odds to become the second highest longshot of 2016 at the track.
Eddie Dennis drove the longest shot winner of the 2015 portion of the meet, Mortgage Bags, who paid $175.80 for a $2 win ticket in a $20,000 DSBF pace, on Veteran's Day, Nov. 11.
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Matinee Dragon, overlooked at 56-1 odds in the $20,000 Mares Open (2/16) driven by Jonathan Roberts became the feature race longshot of the meet. Matinee Dragon paid $114.40 for a $2 win ticket setting a $462.20 exacta and a $1,766.60 trifecta payoff.
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For years, Delaware has been a launching site for many young drivers. While Dover Downs has one of the most respected corps of well-known veteran drivers, several newcomers are showing their driving skills. Montrell Teague, 24, has made a national presence, thanks to Wiggle It Jiggleit.
Tyler Davis, 23, has quickly become one to watch. Russell Foster, 26, drove three winners on the 12/17/15 card. Jason Lynch, 26, is following in the footsteps of his dad, Toby Lynch. Justin Vincent and Jason Thompson are showing talent at Delmarva tracks. The youngest of the "new breed' is Logan Powell, 18, still in high school.
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Casino Bags Anso is a so-called 'miracle' horse. The 3-year-old pacer made a remarkable return to the races after battling Lyme's disease at two. The gelding scored his first win in a DSBF Male pace prelim driven by trainer-driver Vince Copeland, a surprising 1:53.3 triumph. Owner Cavalli Pazzi Stable was on the verge of giving up on the young horse and considered giving him away but Copeland wanted to give him one more chance, and it worked out.
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The 2015 portion of the track's 47th season ended with three horses scoring long win streaks. Elliesjet N was unbeaten in eight starts in the U.S. while Ragazzo Dolce continues to dominate the trotting claiming ranks. The well-bred gelding, won five in a row and won 11 races in 2015.while pacer, Jingle Bell Rocker, continued in the holiday spirit, winning his only start in December to increase his win streak to four, and 16 wins in 27 starts during 2015.
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The oldest racehorse at the track in 2015, 14-year-old Albert Chief, became 15, on Jan. 1, 2016 when all harness horses celebrate a birthday, His last victory came on (12/10), wire-to-wire, in 1:53.3. It was his 20th win of the year, 68th lifetime, with career earnings of $615,141.
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DOVER DOWNS 47TH SEASON MAJOR RACES
2015 Hap Hansen Progress Pace
3YO-Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) 1:48.2*TR
2015 Matron 3-Year-Old Champions;
3YO Colt Pace: Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) 1:49.4
3YO Filly Pace: Mosquito Blue Chip (Daniel Dube) 1:49.2
3YO Colt Trot: Crazy Wow (Tim Tetrick) 1:52 TR
3YO Filly Trot: Mission Brief (Yannick Gingras) 1:50.2 WR
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2015 Matron 2-Year-Old Champions
2YO Colt Pace; Big Boy Hanover (Yannick Gingras) 1:51.4
2YO Filly Pace; Newborn Sassy (Tim Tetrick) 1:52
2YO Colt Trot: Dog Gone Lucky (Corey Callahan) 1:55
2YO Filly Trot: Womans Will (David Miller) 1:54.2
by Marv Bachrad, for Dover Downs