Two significant longtime horsemen passed away last week. Dover Downs founder David Buckson, 96, a harness racing owner, trainer, driver during his distinguished career which included serving as Delaware Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Attorney General and Family Judge among his many credits, and Ty Case III, who fought a courageous lifelong battle to live. Case was also a trainer and driver who due to diabetes lost his vision and required dialysis. After a transplant his sight returned only to be lost vision again. He suffered a quadruple heart bypass, and later six strokes and an operation on his brain. After blindness, he became a switchboard operator at Dover Air Base. He, his wife Holly and his companion dog were seen often at Dover Downs and Harrington enjoying the races.
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The first sub 1:50 miles of the season were recorded Thursday, Jan.19 at Dover Downs when Bushwacker won the $30,000 feature in 1:49.3 and in the next race Delaware-sired Remember Me VK scored in 1:49.4, on a super -fast 15 race card.
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The Horizon Award is a high spot at the Delaware Standardbred Owners Association (DSOA) annual awards-banquet. This year's standout event, Jan. 13 accorded the honor to youthful horseman Russell Foster, an up-and-coming driver who came into his own in 2016. Following DSOA's Annual Meeting the horsemen's Awards Dinner, with governor-elect John Carney in attendance, was held at Modern Maturity Center. Following dinner, Heather Vitale did her usual outstanding jobj as host of the awards ceremonies celebrating the horsemen and horses highlights of 2016 at Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway. Then, "Mike Hines and the Look" entertain with music and dancing to complete the affair.
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Saturday, Jan. 29, It's The Best of Canada at the Black Tie event, the 2016 O'Brien Awards in Mississauga, Ont. The classy banquet theme this year is the 250th anniversary of horse racing in Canada."
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Late next month, the annual highlight of the Winter banquet season comes on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, Nevada with the U.S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA) Night of Champions honoring the 2016 Dan Patch Awards winners. For more information, check www.ushwa.org .
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George Teague receives several honors in Las Vegas next month, one from Harness Horsemen International (HHI) will be honored.,Teague is winner of HHI's major award, "The Dominic Frinzi Person of the Year." Teague will be honored for graciously allowing the public to meet and greet his great pacer, 2015 Horse of the Year, Wiggle It Jiggleit, several times during 2016, all to help promote harness racing. Then on Sunday, Feb. 26, the U.S.Harness Writers Association (USHWA) will honor Teague, the first person honored for a second time as its "Good Guy" award winner. Team Teague gets the sport's second highest honor, The Stan Bergstein Proximity Award or service to the sport. For ticket and hotel arrangements consult www.ushwa.org .
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The hot horses in early 2017 at Dover Downs are Ed Gannon and Yannick Gingras' Vintage Babe, a winner of six starts in a row. Two of trainer Bryan Tuitt Stable's young horses continue to streak. Enhance Your Mind has won five in-a-row and 7 of her last 8 races.
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Vic Kirby is back on top of the leading driver standings after emerging from a tie las week with Tim Tetrick.. Red-hot defending champion Corey Callahan has vaulted into second place with Yannick Gingras, third. vacationing Tim Tetrick is now fourth with Tony Morgan completing the top 5.
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Jim King continues atop the leading trainer statistics. Josh Green and Joe Hundertpund are tied for second place, Leigh Raymer and defending champ Dylan Davis are tied for fourth.
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Marv Bachrad