DOVER, Del.— Ideal Cowboy took the lead early and never relinquished on the way to a 1:51 harness racing victory in the $30,000 Preferred pace while Little Ben won for the fourth time in his last five starts in the $27,500 Delaware Special at Dover Downs, on Thursday, Dec. 8.
After finishing second by a neck last week, Tim Tetrick did not linger putting Ideal Cowboy into the lead and cut out all the fractions posting his seventh win of the year for trainer Jeff Bamond and owners J&T Silva and Bamond Racing. The win was the second in three weeks for the American Ideal-Trend Setter gelding who has been 1,2,3 in half of his 25 starts this season while earning $141,640 in purses. Bettor's Edge and Yannick Gingras finished second in front of Sweet Beach driven by Montrell Teague. Dancin Yankee (Corey Callahan) was fourth.
Janet Hudson and JoAnn Looney-King's Little Ben was back in the winner's circle for the 10th time in 2016 after Vic Kirby piloted a 1:51.3 success in the $27,500 Delaware Special. An altered son of Jereme's Jet-Honey's Bud Life, Little Ben has now won $152,064 this year. Seventh Secret, a recent acquisition by George Dennis, closed strongly to finish second beaten a head. Im Supersonic A (Tetrick) was the show finisher.
For the second Thursday in-a-row, 11-1 Soto, again a longshot, won the $18,000 4&5-Year-Old Open pace. Art Stafford Jr. Last week, it was a wire-to-wire win, this time coming from off the pace to Beat Wakizashi Hanover (Tetrick) closed along the passing lane, to the wire in 1:52. Rock N Roll World (Gingras) was the third-place finisher. Soto, a son of Rock N Roll Heaven-Incredible Beauty recorded his 11th win of the campaign. Eric Ell trains the four-year-old for Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta. He has now won $121,745 this year.
After being claimed for $17,500 at Pocono by Weaver Bruscemi and Burke Racing, Rangers Sureshot scored his fourth consecutive victory, this time stepped up to the $30,000 ranks to record a lifetime fastest 1:52 victory in a $15,500 Male pace . The win by the Palone Ranger-Cadie's Sure Shot gelding was Yannick Gingras' second win of the day. Special T Rocks (Jim Morand) and Feel Like A Fool (Jonathan Roberts) were second and third respectively.
In a $15,000 4&5-Year-Old male pace, Niss Allen Inc.'s Rockinonby gave Tony Morgan his second win holding off fast finishing Sentencing Memo by a head in 1:52.2. Trained by Willard Reynolds, the Rockin Image-Stan's Ann gelding, Lew's Maverick (M. Teague) took third.
Yannick Gingras drove three winners. Tim Tetrick, Ross Wolfenden, Vic Kirby, Tony Morgan and trainers Jeff Bamond, Ron Burke and owners Weaver Bruscemi and Burke Racing had doubles
Monday through Thursday, post time is 4:30 p.m. Dover Downs is dark on Fridays. Saturdays $17,500
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Marv Bachrad