Following a holiday respite, the Stafford family had a big return day at Dover Downs Sunday, Dec. 28 led by Art Stafford Jr. driving three winners and his cousin, Ben Stafford Jr., driving the longshot winner on the card.
Art Stafford Jr.’s brother Andrew and their dad, veteran horseman Art Stafford, own Atta Boy Bones, winner of the feature race, a Delaware $10,200 Male 3,4&5-Year-Old Pace. The McArdle-Santinos Rosa sophomore gelding set a lifetime record of 1:55.2 while winning for the fourth time in 10 career starts. Celtic Thunder, with John MacKinnon, sat second in the mile with Heza Hot Cookie and Vic Kirby finishing quickly to take third.
Another Art Stafford Jr. three-year-old gelding, Blazing Bobby Sox, which he owns with his father, won for the second straight outing and third time in six races with a 1:55.4 effort in another race for young male pacers. Blazing Bobby Sox is an altered son of The Panderosa-Liamatters.
His other win came giving Daiquiri Don, yet another three-year-old, his first victory in 1:57.4. Wyatt Starkey owns and trains the black gelding by By A Length-Temptress Tracey.
Ben Stafford Jr. got the 26-1 longshot of the card home in a career-best 1:54.4. He drove Matinee Dragon, owned by Ed Gold and trainer Ben Stafford, to her second win of the season in a distaff pace. Ironically, Ben Jr.’s previous win on Dec. 18 came piloting a 37-1 shot, Maximum Terror, to victory in a $14,000 Male Pace at Dover Downs.
Montrell Teague also drove a longshot to victory at 15-1. Trainer Bob Short’s Stonebridge Flair won the Delaware $7,500 Male Claimer in 1:55.1.
Trace Tetrick, Vic Kirby and Ross Wolfenden came through with driving doubles.
Kiss Dont Bit, For The Ladies N and Handsoffmycookie head the Monday feature, $18,000 Mare Open Pace.
(With files from Dover Downs)