The start of the Dover Downs 45th is around the corner. The 98-day meet kicks off on Monday, Nov. 2 beginning another six-month long campaign ending on April 7, 2016.

The meet features top horses, top stables and top drivers 15-races a day of ‘Major League’ racing four days a week in November and December with Friday, Saturday and Sunday ‘dark’ days. Post time is 4:30 p.m.

In January and February 2016, Sunday racing is added to the weekday schedule. Sunday post time is 5:30 p.m. Then in March and April, only weekday racing resumes through April 7.

In addition to the usual outstanding racing, for fans at the track, On Sunday, Nov. 30, track patrons will receive free the new 2015 Winter Hap Hansen Progress Pace hat.

A star-studded $4-million in purses headed by the track’s signature event, the $400,000 Hap Hansen Progress Pace highlights an outstanding 18-stakes program. North America’s top horses and drivers headline the ‘Novemberfest of Racing.’

Stakes action is plentiful in November. On Thursday, Nov. 5, all four two-year-old Matron Stakes will be featured. The top Matron three-year-old pacing and trotting colts meet on Nov. 12.

Later in the month, $30,000 Hap Hansen Progress Pace eliminations on Nov. 23 set the stage for the $300,000 final on Nov. 30.

Also in November, the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) program for First State-sired two-year-olds also gets underway on Nov. 5 with the first of two $20,000 preliminary legs culminating with four $100,000 finals.

In April, DSBF prelims and finals for three-year-olds are scheduled.

Corey Callahan, leading driver at the track for last six meets, heads a strong driver colony while Dylan Davis seeks a second consecutive leading trainer crown.

(Dover Downs)