A lot of harness racing fans were glued to Dover Downs Thursday as their 12th race $25,000 Open Pace featured the once again return of 2015 Harness Horse of the Year, Wiggle It Jiggleit.
Most fans would be very disappointed.
As Bo Mach (Corey Callahan) and Larry Karr (Mike Cole) left out of the starting gait along with Wiggle It Jiggleit (Jim Morand in the bike as Montrell Teague was away) trying to leave some and then Morand snatched him up into fourth place.
Larry Karr took the lead away from Bo Mach by the opening quarter mile in :26.4. Then they raced to the half mile in :55.3 and just as you would think that Morand would come first-over with Wiggle It Jiggleit, they sat in as Rock Lights (George Napolitano, Jr.) came first-over with Billy Badger N (Dexter Dunn) second-over.
As they raced down the backstretch it looked as if Wiggle It Jiggleit almost went off-stride as they backed to the back of the pack.
Meanwhile, Larry Karr was strong on the lead with Bo Mach in the pocket at the three-quarters in 1:23.4.
Off the final turn, Callahan moved to the outside with Bo Mach and gunned down Larry Karr coming to the wire, winning by a long neck in 1:51.1. Billy Badger N was third.
As for Wiggle It Jiggleit, he finished seventh, race timed in 1:52.3.
Sent off at odds of 38-1, Bo Mach scored a lifetime mark and his eighth win of the year. The four-year-old gelding by Mach Three is trained by Dylan Davis and owned by Howard Taylor and Thomas Lazzaro. He paid $79.00 to win.
In the 10th race $27,500 Blue Hen Open Handicap, Late Mail N and driver George Napolitano, Jr. sat the pocket trip as Sicily (Victor Kirby) cut fractions of :26.2, :55.3 and 1:23 to the three-quarters.
Race favorite, Slick Tony (Dexter Dunn) had come up first-over at the half but could not really gain ground on the leaders. Blazing Bobby Sox (Art Stafford, Jr.) was second-over and then fanned out three-wide on the final turn.
As soon as they could, Napolitano sent Late Mail N into the passing lane and in deep stretch collared Sicily and went on to win by a half-length in 1:50.4. Sicily was second with Slick Tony nosing out Blazing Bobby Sox for third place.
It was a lifetime mark for Late Mail N. The six-year-old gelded son of Bettor’s Delight is trained by Michael Hall for the Claim To Fame Stable of Dagsboro, DE. Sent off at 28-1 odds, Late Mail N paid $59.20 to win.
By Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink