Big Rigs became the fastest trotter in Dover Downs history winning the $23,000 Open Trot on a strong and fast pre-Thanksgiving Day card.
Second Wind N scored his fourth straight victory during the Wednesday, Nov. 21 card while Solo Command, Dingys Boy and Hes A Primadonna won second leg preliminaries of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) for freshman colt trotters.
With David Miller at the controls, Kelly O’Donnell-conditioned Big Rigs overpowered six foes in track record time of 1:52.1 to win the week’s top trot. The former record of 1:52.2 was set by Enough Talk and George Brennan in March 2008. The former record for a four-year-old horse of 1:54.4 belonged to Stunt Man Hall with Tony Morgan, set in February 2008.
Big Rigs took the lead at the start and never was challenged recording his fourth win of the campaign in 12 races. The son of Andover Hall-Filly At Bigs, who is owned by Ed Mullinax, DM Stables LLC and Miller Stable Inc., now has won $102,260 this year and $664,038 in his career. E L Rock (Ron Pierce) came on to finish second.
Second Wind N racked up his fourth win in a row as Tim Tetrick drove the altered son of Dream Away-Carmel Maria to a 1:50.2 triumph in the $35,000 Preferred/Handicap Pace. Peter Tritton trains the winner for Harry von Knoblauch. This Is Wyatt (Ross Wolfenden) finished second for the second straight time. No Hill High (David Miller) took a shot at the winner on the final turn, but had to settle for third.
Versado and Yannick Gingras won the $24,000 Open Pace for the second consecutive week, this time scoring the fastest clocking of the night, a 1:49.1 success. The Dragon Again-Beach Jerry geldin is trained by Nick Surick and owned by KDM Stables. Rustys All In (Tim Tetrick) closed for second with Brave Alex Semalu (Corey Callahan) coming on for third.
On the strong undercard, in the first of two $16,500 paces, Montrell Teague piloted Feel Like A Fool to victory in 1:51.3. The win was the fifth this year for the Art Major-Fool That I Am gelding who has banked $118,910 for Ted Gewertz, Bob Feldman, Kovach Stables and George Teague Jr. Polaris N (Ross Wolfenden) was the runner-up. Artist Point (Roger Plante) finished third.
King Z Tam, reined by Corey Callahan, came back in deep stretch to beat Wild Shot Hanover (Frank Milby) in 1:53.2. The Cole Muffler–Lady Quiara gelding is trained by Dave McCaffrey, who owns the winner with Joe McCaffrey and Z Tam Stables. Winsmith Syd (Vic Kirby) took show honours.
Bobby Glassmeyer’s Fancyfreeshark got up in deep stretch for Jonathan Roberts to notch a 1:51 victory in a $16,000 Winners Over Male Pace. In his first race after taking off three months, the Four Starzzz Shark-Fancy Art five-year-old won for the seventh time this season upping his 2012 earnings to $111,770. Sheer Brilliance (Sean Bier) and Samandar (Yannick Gingras) finished second and third respectively.
In $20,000 DSBF frosh trots, Bryan Truitt and Jesse Lewis’ Dingys Boy turned in the fastest clocking winning one of two non-wagering events in 2:01.3 while co-owner-trainer Truitt piloted the Giant Hit-Imps Flirt gelding to the win. Triple Command (Ross Wolfenden) was second while Brief Politics (Brad Hanners) finished third.
In the other non-wagering section, driver Eddie Davis and John Wagner and Winbak Farms’ Hes A Primadonna finished second, but was place first upon Command Flight's disqualification. Bellas Spunkypunk (Jim Morand) was moved up from third to second with Command Flight (Bobby Clark) placed third.
Solo Command led off the wagering program with a 2:02 victory in the third DSBF prelim. Jim Morand, who owns the CR Commando-Solo Act colt with Nanticoke Racing won for the third time this season. Royal Briefing (Art Stafford Jr.) was next. Pure Glory (Jonathan Roberts) finished third.
The top eight point getters after the prelims will race for a $100,000 purse next Tuesday, Nov. 27.
(Dover Downs)