Tough Mac made up for a neck loss last week to win his fifth feature trot this meet and Razor Ramone won his fifth straight on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at Dover Downs. Two other win streaks came to an end during the 15-race card.
Driven by Corey Callahan, Tough Mac quick-stepped away from the starting gate and then kept his seven rivals at bay on the way to a 1:54 victory in the week’s top trot, the $18,000 Open/Handicap. Tirade Hanover, driven by Vic Kirby, made him work hard battling alongside the winner for much of the last half but could fare no better than second. Im So Striking, with Eddie Dennis, closed well to finish third.
The victory boosted Tough Mac’s seasonal earnings to $35,000. Dylan Davis conditions the Lockkeeper-Traditional Lady black gelding for owner Mike Casalino. The eight-year-old won for the 14th time in his career, bringing his lifetime bankroll to $165,337.
One race later, Razor Ramone and Ron Pierce continued their winning ways, notching their fifth consecutive triumph in a $14,000 4&5-Year-Old Winners Over Trot. Trained by Eric Ell for Steve Iaquinta and William Dittmar, Razor Ramone cut out a 1:56 success holding off fast-finishing Derby (Allan Davis) by a neck with Deacons Valley (Callahan) coming on for third. Razor Ramone, a four-year-old by Kadabra-Oaklea Rae, is a perfect four-for-four in 2015. He has eight career wins and $86,990 earnings lifetime.
Ell lifted his UTRS “batting average” to around .450 this season with his third training win of the meet, Enrico AS, who fashioned a near wire-to-wire victory in an $8,500 non-winners trot. The win was the third for owners Dittmar, Iaquinta and second for partner Ken Wood, the same ownership of Go Go Red Marty, a 1:54.3 winner of a $15,000 claiming trot.
Trish Foulk-trained Prayer Session registered his third win of the meet, scoring a 1:54.4 front-end performance in a $12,000 conditioned trot with Callahan at the controls for Brit Evan and Foulk Stables. Power Charger (Trace Tetrick) came on for second. I Like My Boss (Jonathan Roberts) was the show horse.
Payson Racing’s Joyeux Dream (Ron Pierce), from post eight, won for the fifth consecutive time in a 1:55.1 victory in a $15,000-$20,000 Claiming Handicap Trot while several streaks came to an end including Ringside Muscle (Jonathan Roberts) finishing third. When Payson Racing’s JS McFlash, with Pierce driving, won his third in succession, the meet’s longest win streak ended after seven straight for Jingle Bell Rocker. Other streaks that came to an end included Hey Pancho, who had won four-in-a-row, and two straight by Captain Fairfax, who finished second in another trot.
Owners Dittmar and Iaquinta, drivers Callahan and Pierce joined trainer Ell with three wins while Wolfenden, Roger Plante, Eddie Davis Jr., Allan Davis and owner Ken Wood had two wins apiece. Trainer Amanda Payson and Payson Racing also won twice.
Mustang Art and Papa Ray head a strong field in the Thursday feature, the $25,000 Delaware Special.
(With files from Dover Downs)