Janet Hudson and JoAnn Looney-King’s Little Ben, overlooked at 8-1 in the $30,000 Open Preferred Handicap, streaked from off the pace to score a 1:52.1 success in the Monday, Nov. 7 feature at Dover Downs.
With Vic Kirby in the bike for trainer Jim King, the Jeremes Jet-Honeys Bud Lite five-year-old gelding waited until the top of the stretch as Bettors Edge cut out the early fractions with Yannick Gingras controlling the fractions. Little Ben then roared down the lane en route to a 1:52.1 victory, his seventh of the year and lifted his seasonal earnings into six digits -- $106,814. The win was his 21st of his career and lifted his earnings over the $230,000 mark.
Another son of Jeremes Jet, Vapour N (Pat Berry) picked up second money while Te Kawau N (Corey Callahan) finished third
Earlier, Gingras piloted Limelight Beach to victory in 1:51 for Weaver Bruscemi, Wingfield Bros. and trainer Ron Burke’s Racing Stable in a $18,000 five-year-old and under Open. Limelight Beach, a $1.2-million winner held off a strong-finishing Wakizashi Hanover (Kirby) at the wire by a neck. Remember Me VK (Montrell Teague) sat second the mile and held on for third. For Limelight Beach, it was his fifth win of the season while earning $127,000+ over the campaign.
A pair of $20,000 two-year-old colt trotting divisions of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) were raced non-wagering before the first race. Both were won by Master Lavec offspring. Moonshine Lavec, trained by part-owner Ericka Paradee for Francisca Munoz and Crissy Crissman-Bier, scored a easy 2:01.3 triumph for his first career victory. In the second $20,000 section, Ross Wolfenden steered Master Clave home in 2:02.1 for trainer John Wilkinson and owner Ben Brooks.
Sicily, driven by Allan Davis, notched a 1:51.2 upset at 22-1 in one of two $15,000 Four & Five-Year-Old Male paces. Swapportunity (Jim Morand) went a big effort to finish second in front of Star Messenger (Kirby). Wayne Givens trains Sicily, a four-yer-old Art Major-Capri Hanover gelding for Reg Hazzard and Legacy Racing.
In the other section, Too Darn Hot, owned, trained and driven by Jason Lynch closed fast to win his $15,000 event. Race favourite Jet Airway (Callahan) was second in front of Ima Rebel (Tony Morgan). The win by the altered son of Rocknroll Hanover-Kiss Me Kate was his second this year in his eighth start.
(with files from Dover)