Omen Hanover continued her recent winning ways by scoring a 1:53.1 wire-to-wire victory in the $23,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace
on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at Dover Downs.
Driver Andy Miller and Omen Hanover teamed for the third time in her last three starts. For the Western Hanover-Oohs N Aahs eight-year-old, it was her fifth win in six races for trainer Nick Surick and owner KDM Stables. A winner of nearly a quarter-million dollars last year, Omen Hanover moves closer to joining harness racing's millionaire club with earnings now at $973,229. Mystra closed along the passing lane for Brad Hanners to finish second. Go On BB came on strongly from far back to finish third with Matt Kakaley driving.
Montrell Teague piloting No Bad Luck made good use of starting from post 1 taking command early on the way to a 1:53 success in the $16,500 Mares Winners-Over sub-feature pace. Badlands Racing and trainer George Teague Jr. own the Badlands Hanover-Gee Im Lucky five-year-old. Freedom Crossing (Vince Copeland) came in second in front of Star Keeper (Corey Callahan).
Both Matt Kakaley and Montrell Teague had driving triples, Teague won both halves of the daily double. George Teague trained and co-owned two winners while Wayne Givens had a training double. Also, John Celii bred both feature race winners, Omen Hanover and No Bad Luck.
Anders Bluestone heads a field of eight in the $23,000 Open trot, the Wednesday feature race. One of the sport’s standout older trotters, Anders Bluestone leaves from post 8 in the first $23,000 Open Handicap trot on the New Year. A $16,000 Winners-Over trot heads a strong undercard.
Anders Bluestone Headlines Wednesday Feature
After a standout juvenile career, often physical ailments resulted in dropping into the claiming ranks. Ken Wood and Bill Dittmar saw promise and claimed Anders Bluestone two summers ago. Since then trainer Eric Ell has returned the strong closer into an elite trotter. Ross Wolfenden will drive him in the feature and will face off against a pair of winners: Joe Muscara’s international winner Lets Get Serious N driven by George Dennis; and Foulk Stables and Gary Evans’ newcomer Blueridge Tornado, who leaves from the rail with Matt Kakaley in search of a fifth consecutive victory.
A sharp contender is Fred Hertrich’s Allamerican Cheer, a winner of two of his previous three races, with Brad Hanners in the bike this time. Also in the field are Tigers Too Good, driven by Dave Miller for Hugh Grant, L&L Devisser, D’Or Farms and trainer Joe Holloway, Defend The Rock handled by meet leader Corey Callahan for Burlin Brower, VIP Internet Stable and trainer Josh Green, Master In Charge racing for Wight Byrd Racing with Vic Kirby at the controls and Dave Neilson’s Gurf returning from Yonkers with Allan Davis driving.
In the $16,000 Winners-Over trot Christopher Giaccio’s Allmar Surprise (Vic Kirby) steps up after consecutive wire-to-wire victories to meet Mike Casalino and trainer Dylan Davis’ Maravich (Corey Callahan) from the rail with Arty Foster’s Spunky Vic (Matt Kakaley) alongside. Mike Lipman and Dave Postman’s Kristal Dream (Ross Wolfenden) has been racing well at Chester, Larry Roman’s Petty Hanover (Allan Davis) was a strong second last time.
The rest of the performers include George and Janette Hobbs’ Road Rash (Eddie Dennis), Pam Wagner’s Super Chuck (John Wagner), and owner-trainer Andy Markano’s Master Montauk (Tim Curtin).
(with files from Dover)