Wednesday, March 2 will be a busy morning at Dover Downs. There are 10 qualifiers starting at 10 a.m. The most anticipation will come in the 4th race when 2015 Horse of the Year, Wiggleit Jiggleit will make his first appearance of the new harness racing season.
Now at 4-year-old, Wiggle It Jiggleit leaves from post 7. Inside will be the likes of Remember Me VK, second to Wiggleit Jiggleit in the first division of the Matron Stakes last November and the speedy Arque Hanover.
Also qualifying will be Canadian champion Lady Shadow, trotters Go Byem and Cicada’s Song in separate qualifiers.
To view the Qualifiers click here.
FASHION SHOWDOWN REPEATS 1:51.1 VICTORY IN $20,000 DISTAFF PACE
It was déjà vu again in the $20,000 Mares/Handicap with Fashion Showdown taking the feature for the second straight week in 1:51.1, on Tuesday, March 1, at Dover Downs.
A week ago, meet leading driver Corey Callahan had the rail, but this time post 7 in a strong field of distaffs. Calllahan left with Fashion Showdown but could not find room heading to the quarter where he chose to go on as he did last Tuesday. After acquiring the lead following a :27.2 opening panel, the Village Jolt-Catch The Show five-year-old showed the way to her fourth win in eight starts this year for the second straight time in 1:51.1. She now has recorded $42,600 of her lifetime $198,005 earnings with an 18th career win.
On the backstretch Duneside Chella (Tony Morgan) was relentless in her effort to overtake the winner and proved second best. Springforth (George Dennis) out-closed Sage N (Tim Tetrick) for third place. Craig McInnis trains Fashion Showdown, a four-time winner in 2016, for owner Chris White.
In the first of two $15,000 4&5-Year-Old Mares paces, the sharp Caviart Scarlett left from post 8 with Corey Callahan and won a stretch-long battle to notch a 1:53.4 photo-finish victory beating fast closing Spin Vision (Tetrick), second and I’m Won Rum Wiser (Dennis). Josh Green conditions Caviart Scarlett, a Sportswriter-Caviart Sydney mare owned by Rich Lombardo, JJ&M Stables and C.A and C.L. Atley, who racked up her fourth win in five starts this meet.
Tim Tetrick made good use of the passing lane to steer Frank Chick’s Casa Miasa to victory catching Playncardswitroddy (Dennis) in deep stretch for a 1:54.4 decision in the other $15,000 event. Fabulous Frieda (Jonathan Roberts) came on to finish third. A four-year-old daughter of Driven To Win-Casa Dulce, Casa Miasa won for the third time in 2016.
Another Caviart Farm-bred winner, Caviart Cari Ann also used the passing lane to score a 1:53.2 lifetime best to win a $14,000 pace for young females. Owned by Chris Giaccio and trainer-driver Vic Kirby, the Sportswriter-Caviart Cameron four-year-old beat Tataria (Ross Wolfenden) home with No Jackpot (Bryan Truitt) the show horses.
Corey Callahan and Tim Tetrick had three winning drives each. Tony Morgan, George Dennis, Vic Kirby, Allan Davis and owner-trainer Steve LeBlanc had doubles.
Somebody AS tries for a second straight win in the $24,000 Open trot facing War Cry Hall, Five Towns and Six Gun Hall in the Wednesday feature.
NOVA ARTIST, FEEL LIKE A FOOL HEAD THURSDAY CO-FEATURES
Harness racing veterans Nova Artist and Feel Like A Fool are the horses to beat in one of Thursday, March 3 double feature races at Dover Downs. In the other division, Lettucefib A and Rebel Soldier are fresh from wins. First post is 4:30 p.m.
Nova Artist, driven by Allan Davis, the mainstay of the Eddie and Kathy stable in recent seasons takes on Kovach Stable's classy Feel Like A Fool, a $1.1-million winner, with Vic Kirby in the sulky, lead an eight-horse ensemble in the field of male pacers. Race Me Villa, owned by Kathleen Mofield, John Dickens and KDK Standardbreds, has been racing well in recent starts but must overcome starting from post 8 with Montrell Teague at the controls.
The other contenders are Arty Foster's owned and trained Rockin Rambaran, and Jonathan Roberts, who has a pair of seconds in his last three outings. All Gold, driven by Ross Wolfenden, has been sharp with two wins and a third last week. A major switch from an outside post makes Joan Dalphon and Elanor Laws' Don't Ya Know a factor from post 3, while trainer Andrew Stafford and driver Art Stafford Jr. cannot be over-looked leaving from the rail with the sharp Portrait.
Lettucefib A (Jim Morand), owned by Josh Parker, Barry Spedden, Kevin Evans and Nanticoke Racing, came from post 7 last week to score a 1:54 victory, leads the second feature. Rebel Soldier (Brett Brittingham) has a two-race win streak for owner Steve Warrington. Trainer Andrew Stafford and driver Art Stafford Jr. can be tough though starting from post 8. Bill Lutz, LeBlanc and Count De Money stables' Cambassador (Frank Milby) is another fast veteran in the eight-horse field. PT Stable's Summer Camp (Roberts) should be one to watch leaving from the rail with Roddy's Hot Again, owned by driver George Dennis and his wife Tina and Ask W Stable, is alongside.Recently claimed Disarrei by GRJ Partners (Tony Morgan) and Don Reed and George Wagner's Shellysblockbuster (Vince Copeland) cannot be ignored.
There is no live racing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Racing resumes Monday through Thursday with post time at 4:30 p.m.
By popular demand the acclaimed Harness Buffet is now back in the Winner's Circle Restaurant. Call for reservations 302-674-4600.
There is no charge for parking and admission at Dover Downs. Harness and thoroughbred simulcasts is available daily from 12 Noon until 12 Midnight.
Simulcasting of harness and thoroughbred racing is available daily from 12 Noon until 12 Midnight. There is no charge for parking and admission.
Marv Bachrad