First leg prelims ended with 86-1 Mortgage Bags, Apple Bottom Jeans and Eternal Ring chalking up wins before heading to next week’s second leg events in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund two-year-old divisions. Spunky Jack took the $20,000 Open Trot on the Veteran’s day, Wednesday, Nov. 11 program at Dover Downs.
In one of three $20,000 DSBF Two-Year-Old Filly Pace divisions, a stunner, Eddie Dennis and Joe Thomas’ Mortgage Bags moved three-wide around two breaking horses heading to the final turn and wore down race favourite and leader Use Your Noodle (Jim Morand) to score her first career win in 1:56.3, paying $175.80 for a $2 ticket. Another longshot, Circle M Georgia (Tony Morgan), finished fourth and was placed third.
It was all Apple Bottom Jean in the lead-off $20,000 DSBF section. The daughter of Mr. Apples-Scylla Hanover owned by KDK Standardbreds and trained by Kevin Sizer went right to the front for driver Montrell Teague and led at every call in a 1:54.4 romp, lifting her record to three wins in four starts with a second. Rowdy Patti (Bryan Truitt) was second in front of Delle Donne (Ross Wolfenden).
Jonathan Roberts steered Eternal Ring to her second win in a row and fourth in six efforts posting a 1:56.1 success in the third DSBF prelim. The Artzina-Turn For The Best filly is owned and trained by Bobby Glassmeyer. Skats Outa The Bag (Wolfenden) was next. Seboomook Up Town (Allan Davis) was the show finisher.
Callam Racing’s Spunky Jack left quickly and stung race favourite Tough Mac to the quarter in :26.3 in the $20,000 Open/Handicap Trot. Tough Mac (Corey Callahan) then took over and led until deep stretch when Roger Plante pulled from second and overtook the leader to the wire in 1:54. Fast-finishing Stirling Charisma (Morgan) also came on to edge Tough Mac for second-place.
Keystone Ace won the $15,000 3,4&5-Year-Old sub-feature trot in 1:55.3 with George Dennis driving the Yankee Glide-Balanced Image five-year-old gelding. George and Tina Dennis and E&K Stables own the winner, who gave Eddie Dennis his second training victory of the day. Eskimo Joe (Morgan) finished a game second with Made To Trot (Teague) third.
After seven wins Tuesday, Callahan now has 11 wins in consecutive days. Vick Kirby had three wins.
The top horses, drivers and stables are at Dover Downs on Thursday, Nov. 12 for the four rich Matron Stakes events. Wiggle It Jiggleit and Wakizashi Hanover renew their rivalry in the 10th race, the $201,900 Three-Year-Old Championship.
(With files from Dover Downs)