Amid a light snowfall, Texican N won the $30,000 Preferred Handicap, Mustang Art the $27,500 Delaware Special and Bandolino the $18,000 Open, the three top paces on Thursday, Jan. 2 at Dover Downs.
Harry Von Knoblauch’s Texican N put on a gritty front-pacing performance, with Ross Wolfenden, to set a personal speed record on 1:50.3 in the $30,000 Preferred Handicap. Escape The News and Corey Callahan enjoyed a two-hole trip to finish second while Nova Artist, driven by Allan Davis, prompted the fast pace on the outside and held on to finish third. Peter Tritton conditions the American-blooded, New Zealand-bred, altered son of Bettors Delight and Bury My Heart to his 16th lifetime win and $268,024 in duo-continent earnings.
Mustang Art, trained by Jim McGuire for owners Max Walton and Greg Papaleo, was at his best racing head-to-head against leader Sunshine Superman (Toby Lynch) for most of a 1:52.3 mile and still had enough in a :28.4 final panel to chalk up his 26th career trip to the winner’s circle. The victory was one of three for Hall of Fame driver Ron Pierce. Pap Ray (Matt Kakaley) closed with a rush for place money. Malak Uswaad N (Ross Wolfenden) was third.
Bandolito, a late summer acquisition by David Bier, Charles Dombeck and trainer-driver Daryl Bier, came on strongly in the lane for a 1:52.3 score in the $18,000 Four & Five-Year-Old Open. The win for the Ponder-Dodys Home Brew four-year-old brings his lifetime record to 10 wins in 12 starts and $198,840 earnings. Handsome Henry K (Frank Milby) was a close second.
Pierce’s second of three consecutive wins came steering Beavercreek Artist home in 1:52.2 to win a $15,000 Male Winners Over Pace. Good Bet (Ben Stafford Jr.) came on to finish second in front of pacesetting Valentino (Matt Kakaley). Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta own the ultra-consistent Artiscape-Spring Chick gelding, who has three wins, two seconds and three thirds in his last eight outings.
Earlier a five-race win streak by Logamotion came to an end in a $13,000 Four & Five-Year-Old Pace, when Vic Kirby drove Steve Warrington-owned and trained Rebel Soldier to his fourth win of the meet, a 1:53.2 decision. Bluebird Shooter (Allan Davis) and On Eagles Wings (Matt Kakaley) were second and third, respectively. Logamotion (Corey Callahan), the early leader, retreated to finish fourth.
Corey Callahan also had three wins on the card while Allan Davis drove two winners.
(With files from Dover Downs)