DOVER, DE – 2014 Little Brown Jug winner Limelight Beach won a $30,000 Preferred photo, Blazing Bobby Sox pulled away in the stretch in the $27,500 Delaware Special in top class wins on a chilly and windy Thursday, March 16 at Dover Downs.
Yannick Gingras left in a hurry from post 8 to get the early lead and then sat second behind the sharp Major Uptrend until the homestretch when the Somebeachsomewhere-Benear gelding used the passing lane to just get up in 1:52.1 by a long nose in the $30,000 Preferred Handicap pace.
Major Uptrend (Montrell Teague) was second ending a three straight win streak while Jet Airway (Corey Callahan) took third money. Ron Burke, the sports leading trainer during the last decade, conditions Limelight Beach, who won for the second time this year and 21st lifetime raising his total earnings to $1,270,279.
One race later, Blazing Bobby Sox showcased his usually powerful closing brush to overpower six rivals in the $27,500 Delaware Special Handicap. With Sweet Rock (Allan Davis) cutting out the pace, Art Stafford Jr. moved Blazing Bobby Sox up on the outside at the three quarters and sped into the lead reaching the final turn and then was all alone in the lane for a 1:52 triumph.
Stafford and his dad, Art Stafford own The Panderosa-Liamatters gelding who won his fourth of the season and 18th lifetime, now a $199,478 career winner. Sweet Rock was second with Poisonous (Ross Wolfenden) closing fast for third.
Star Messenger scored his fourth win of 2017 with Tony Morgan driving a 1:52.1 victory in one of two $15,500 Male paces. Claimed early this meet, Star Messenger lifted his seasonal earning to $35,250 for owner-trainer Gary Ewing. Star Messenger, a Jereme's Jet-Manhattan Killean gelding, has now posted 22 lifetime wins and $171,146 in purse monies. A 42-1 hot Framed Art (Stafford Jr.) rolled down the stretch to finish second. Quick Shot (Jonathan Roberts) was third.
The second $15,500 division went to Richard Stansbury's All The Cookies and Yannick Gingras in an impressive 1:52.3 performance. The Rocknroll Hanover-Queen Otra four-year-old gelding won his second straight and third in his last four outings for trainer Kenny Mitchell. Tip It On Back (Bret Brittingham) came on strongly to finish second. Denslow Hanover (Davis) was the show horse.
Gingras and Time Out I'm Tired came out of the pack nearing the finish line for a 1:53.2 victory in the third $15,500 event. Chris White conditions the Artiscape-Badlands Laura five-year-old for Bill Mears and Janine McIlvain. Wichita Lineman (Davis) and Black Is Back (Callahan) were second and third respectively.
Corey Callahan and Yannick Gingras each tasted victory four times, Tony Morgan, Art Stafford Jr. and trainer Dylan Davis had two wins each.
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by Marv Bachrad, for Dover Downs