It didn’t take Tony Morgan long on Wednesday (Jan. 3) to become only the second driver in harness history to drive 16,000 winners in a career, sweeping the early double at Dover Downs to reach the milestone before displaying a perfect drive behind Divas Image to win the featured $25,000 Mares Open Pace by a nose.
The 59-year-old Morgan drove Pippy Longstocking ($3.20) to victory in 1:56.1 to win the first race on the card. Then he guided Killean Finale ($2.60) home in 1:56.1 in the second race for the memorable 16,000th victory.
In the $25,000 female feature, Morgan, driving Divas Image, escaped from traffic on the final turn to take the passing lane to get up in 1:53.1, nosing out Newborn Sassy (Tim Tetrick) at the wire. Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45, and J&T Silva Stables own the Bettors Delight-Rocknroll Diva five-year-old trained by Jenn Bongiorno. The winner of the last Open as well, she has won three of her last five races and four of her last six with a pair of thirds in between. Sweet Bobbie (Art Stafford, Jr.) held on for third.
Morgan is second in winning drives in the sport; only Dave Palone has more. Palone passed the 18,000-win mark early in 2017. German driver Heinz Wewering is third on the list, with the late Hervé Filion fourth.
Morgan finished the card with four wins, while Tim Tetrick had three. Vic Kirby and Corey Callahan won two races each.
Missile J, Macon Georgia A Join Thursday Open Pace
Weather permitting on Thursday (Jan. 4), a pair of newcomers – Macon Georgia A and Missle J – and six other stalwarts tangle in the first $25,000 Open Pace of the new year.
Macon Georgia A with Tim Tetrick drew the rail. Bill and John Emmons and Bamond Racing recently claimed the gelding for $50,000. He had seven wins banking $130,815 last year. Missile J, no stranger to local fans, returns after a big 2017 season and will be piloted by Ross Wolfenden for owners John McGill and Brian Carsey.
Niss Allen and Crissman, Inc.’s Major Uptrend has been a potent force in track top events last meet and this with Tony Morgan, his regular driver. Cajon Lightning, owned by Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar, Steve Iaquinta, and Minisink Farms, has already won four feature races this season with Art Stafford, Jr. in the bike. Returning after a pair of seconds in Meadowlands features is the Wayne Givens-trained Sweet Rock, owned by Reggie Hazzard and Legacy Racing and starting from outside post 8.
Corey Callahan races the hard-hitting Arque Hanover for Abe Basen, Tom Lazzaro, and Robert Cooper Stable. JoAnn Looney-King’s fast Qs Cruise, with Vic Kirby at the controls, and Gerries Sport, a top-class Indiana pacer driven by Allan Davis for owners Rich Lombardo, Carl Atley, and Gerrie Tucker complete the strong field of eight.
Another outstanding undercard presents two $25,000-$35,000 claiming handicaps, an $18,000, a $16,000 and two $13,000 paces on the 13-race power-packed program.
(Dover Downs)