Ross Wolfenden was the hot driver at Dover Downs Monday, Dec. 5 recording five harness racing winners. Meanwhile, Four Staces made his first start racing for a price a winning one, as Corey Callahan drove him to a1:51.3 victory to win a 4 & 5-Year-Old $20,000 Claiming Allowance in the feature race.
Mike Casalino and trainer Dylan Davis' Four Staces and Callahan had a perfect 2-hole journey as Star Messenger (Vic Kirby) and Nuclear Dragon (Jonathan Roberts battled head-to-head down the backstretch until Nuclear Dragon succumbed around the final turn permitting Callahan to move to the outside and quickly shot past Star messenger on the way home for an easy 1:51.3 triumph.
It was the fourth win of the campaign for the Rocknroll Hanover-Miss Stacee gelding who now has won $$51,720 this year and $179,959 in his career. Dash Point Hanover (Sean Bier) steamed down the lane to finish second in front of Star Messenger.
In addition to Ross Wolfenden's five winners, Allan Davis and Tony Morgan chalked up triples.
INITTOWINAFORTUNE RETURNS FOR DOVER $20,000 MARES OPEN
Inittowinafortune, who won at the Meadowland in 1:49 last season and 1:50 this year, returns to Dover Downs in the $20,000 Fillies and Mares Open pace on Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Two of the best of former Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) champions will match strides in the first Tuesday card of the current meet in the $20,000 Mares Open Handicap at Dover Downs on Dec. 6.
Four seasons ago, Inititowinafortune dominated the Delaware stakes program when in the Daryl Bier Stable. Now, owned by Mike Pagonas and trained by Mike Russo, the six-year-old has won nearly $636,000 while racing in top female feature races in the Meadowlands, Yonkers and Freehold. Meanwhile Purrfect Bags, at two and three, was a major stakes winner and now at four continues to race at a high level for owner JoAnn Looney-King. She comes off a win last Tuesday in this event with Dover's current winningest driver Vic Kirby.
The program favorites meet a tough roster of rivals in the feature. Legacy Racing's Empress Deo just missed last week finishing second beaten a nose. Jonathan Roberts shot into the early lead from post 7 with Josh Parker, Brian Speeden, Kevin Evans and Nanticoke Racing's Elliesjet N to lead from the start but was only a neck back in third.
The rest of the formidable field is made up by JFE Enterprise's Scandalicious with Tim Tetrick. Howard Taylor's Shine N Shimmer will be driven by George Dennis. Matinee Dragon with Pat Berry drives for Lou Catana and trainer Vince Bradley, starting from post 1 with hard-hitting Fashion Showdown, owned by trainer Chris White reined by Jim Morand, leaves from alongside.
A pair of $15,000 distaff paces highlight the undercard.
Monday through Thursday racing begins at 4:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are 'dark days' at the track. Fine food is available while watching the races at the acclaimed Winner's Circle Restaurant Buffet. Call 302-674-4600.
Marv Bachrad