Hes Spooky rushed along the passing lane to catch front-trotting Green Day in the last two strides, setting a 1:53.1 track record for older male trotters at Dover Downs on Wednesday.
For the second straight week, driver Eric Carlson and Hes Spooky enjoyed a perfect two-hole trip and then stormed past the leader to record victory in the week’s $23,000 Open Handicap Trot. Corey Callahan had Green Day away quickly and led until the final stages. E L Rock and Tim Tetrick took an unsuccessful shot at Green Day on the backstretch to no avail. Green Day was second with E L Rock third. Anders Bluestone was a late scratch from the feature.
The win was the third-in-a-row for Hes Spooky, who is owned by Howard Taylor, Alan Kaplan, LA Express and Rojan stables, and trained by meet-leader Mike Hall of the Doug Lewis Stable. The Cantab Hall-Yankee Topaz six-year-old won for the third time in five starts in the New Year. He has now won $298,849 in his career.
Mandabra, reined by North American and meet-leading driver Corey Callahan, scored an impressive 1:53.2 victory in the $16,000 Winners Over Trot secondary feature. The seven-year-old Kadabra-Beautiful Mind gelding equalled his lifetime mark turning back Windsun Galaxie (Tony Morgan) and Baximum (Tim Tetrick) for owners Charles Bonucceli, Shaun Callahan and trainer Nick Callahan.
Eddie Dennis, who has returned to driving full-time, guided Im So Striking to a 1:57.1 triumph in a $14,000 conditioned trot. Trained by Dennis, the So Striking-Ringside Katie gelding is owned by Lois and Earl Walters and E&K Stable. Awsome Valley (Carlo Poliseno) was runner-up. Uwantapieceofme (George Dennis) finished third.
Thursday is top pacer day with Versado, back from last week’s Presidential Final, and Dancin Yankee, event winner two weeks ago, headlining the $35,000 Preferred Pace while Nova Artist and Mustang Art will square off again in the $30,000 Delaware Special. Monday through Thursday starting time is 4:30 p.m. Friday is a dark day at Dover Downs. Saturday post time is 1 p.m. No racing on Super Bowl Sunday.
(With files from Dover Downs)