Hallies Comet overcame a first-over journey and then fended off race favourite Little Ben en route to upsetting in Thursday’s $27,500 Blue Hen Open for pacers at Dover Downs.
In rein to driver Yannick Gingras, Hallies Comet came away fourth in the seven-horse affair while Grantmeawish sailed to the early lead and sliced out splits of :26.3 and :55. Gingras tipped his charge to the outside on the way to the half, and Hallies Comet was in hot pursuit of Grantmeawish past the three-quarter pole in 1:22.1. The leader started to fade, but Hallies Comet kept on trucking thanks to a :28.2 closing quarter that helped earn him the neck decision over Little Ben in 1:51. Beach Art was third.
Ron Burke trains the six-year-old son of Roddys Bags Again-Joyanna, who was sent off at odds of 6-1, for Burke Racing Stable LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. It was the first win of the season and the 15th lifetime tally for the career winner of $275,561.
Bo Mach, who at 25-1 was the longest shot on the toteboard, turned a two-hole trip into a stunning upset score in the $25,000 Open Handicap for pacers for the tandem of driver Corey Callahan and trainer Dylan Davis.
Callahan dropped into the pocket early and tracked Eddard Hanover through fractions of :27, :55.3 and 1:23 before finding clearance in the lane and kicking home in :27.2 to post the win. It was a length back to Eddard Hanover, who edged out Rock The Nite. Time for the mile was 1:50.4.
The five-year-old son of Mach Three-Magnify This nabbed his first win of the 2020 campaign while pushing his lifetime win total to 13. He’s quickly closing in on $250,000 in career earnings.