DOVER, Del.— George Teague started seven Delaware-breds in the four $20,000 1st leg Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) Three-Year-Old Male pace divisions and came away with the two fastest preliminary winners, Henry The Drago and Daiymir on Thursday, March 30 at Dover Downs. River Crest and Automatic beat two other Teague trainees. Major Uptrend won the $30,000 Preferred Handicap for the third time this harness racing meet.
Henry The Dragon toyed with five rivals to win the first $20,000 DSBF event wire-to-wire in 1:52 with Montrell Teague driving the first of his three wins. A son of a former Teague's stakes winner Custard The Dragon-Surveille Hanover scored his second win at three and seventh lifetime in eight starts with only a second in last November's $100,000 DSBF freshman final to blemish his record. Unbroken Vision (Corey Callahan) was a game second in front of Almost Cut My Hair (Vic Kirby) third.
Montrell Teague got the lead early guiding Daiymir in his first lifetime start and never was headed the rest of a 1:52.4 mile holding off the DSBF colt champion Bags To Riches (Tim Tetrick) by a length in another $20,000 prelim. Wake Up And Go (Callahan) was the show horse. Daiymir is a son of Mr. Wiggles-Cookie Money and as the rest of the Teague stable is trained by Clyde Francis.
A nose separated Teague Tandum from victory when River Crest notched a 1;53.2 triumph for owner-trainer Art Stafford Jr. who owns the Roddy's Bags Again-Eastern Lady colt with his dad and brother and well-known auctioneer Larry Martin. Ain.t It Fun (M.Teague) led until the photo finish showed him second.l Art Of Fire ( ) was third.
The last $20,000 DSBF prelim was won by fast finishing Automatic Dragon owned by Tina and Brian Clark and trained by Bobby Clark. James Isaac (Tony Morgan) made a big move on the backstretch to get the lead but could not hold off the Vic Kirby driven winner in 1:53.1. Race favorite Stay In You Place (M.Teague) collected third money.
Under new ownership but still the same quality racehorse, Major Uptrend, now owned by trainer Tim Crissman and Niss Allen Inc., the Somebeachsomewhere-Tricky Tooshie gelding handled by Tony Morgan held off Limelight Beach (Yannick Gingras) for a 1:49.3 victory in the $30,000 Preferred Handicap pace. Sweet Rock (Allan Davis) wad third.
Corey Callahan drove Jet Airway to a 1:51 win in a $20,000 Open Pace. The Jereme's Jet-Aromatic six-year-old owned by Mike Casalino and trainer Dylan Davis won for the third time this meet and 65th in his career while banking $477,930. Poisonous (Ross Wolfenden) closed strongly for second. Rangers Sureshot (Morgan) took third.
Trainer-driver Eddie Dennis pulled a surprise closed along the passing lane to win a $15,000 4&5-Year-Old Male pace in 1:52—-Earlier three sons of Somebeachsomewhere finished in a near 1:51 dead heat, winner David Miller's 42-1 Fashionbythebeach (Vince Copeland), followed by Sonny At The Beach (Kirby) and Somewhereonthebeach (Gingras), third.—Jim Morand drove Seventh Secret for George&Tina Dennis Racing to a 1:53 score in another $15,000 Male pace.
Corey Callahan finished with four wins. Montrell Teague won three. Tony Morgan and Vic Kirby ad doubles.
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are dark days. Weekday post time, Monday through Thursday, is 4:30 p.m. Parking and admission are free. Reservations are suggested for the Winner's Circle Restaurant's acclaimed Buffet and for the 4-star Dover Downs Hotel. Call 302-674-4600. Top harness and thoroughbred races are featured in the Racing and Sports Book daily for 12 Noon until 12 Midnight.
Marv Bachrad