Bullion Bill A won again, Skads Winner pulled a mild surprise in the top trot while Dragons Blood and Pegasus Osborne both equaled the world record for a five-eighths mile dash at Dover Downs on Saturday
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Erika Paradee's Bullion Bill A took the lead early and shook off a persistent challenge from runner-up Mattjestic Art (Frank Milby) to fashion a 1:53 victory in the $17,500 feature. It was the third in a row for the Albert Albert-Forest Glory gelding. Lennon Blue Chip (Kevin Sizer) rushed down the passing lane to finish third.
Skads Winner put on a strong burst in the stretch to notch a 1:57.2 triumph in the top trot on the card going for a $16,000 purse for 4&5-year-olds. Perfect Man (Vic Kirby) led from the start and held on for second. The three-race win streak of Coco Count (Tony Morgan) came to an end with a third-place finish.
I Am A Nut, an I Am A Fool-Crush On You colt, sat alongside leader Freedom Soldier (Morand) for more than a quarter mile and then pulled away to a 1:55.4 victory in a #13,100 Delaware 3,4&5-Year-Old pace owned by Toby Lynch with son, Jason Lynch the winning driver. Arts Lair (Art Stafford) got up for second in front of DVCFlyingfrenchman (Callahan) next.
Gary and Barbara Iles homebred Lather Machine made a successful comeback with a 1:53.4 victory in a $10,100 Delaware Male pace. Mike Cole teamed with the Badlands Hanover-Pocket Comb six-year-old trained by Johnny Waite for his first start in more than a year. Mercantileexchange (Davis Jr.) closed strongly for second. Mimis Tyler (Wolfenden) was third.
The three-week long "Go The Distance" events were sub-titled "Speed" in their opening divisions and it was apparent in the four $10,000 contests over a distance of five-eights of a mile. Two of the races equaled the world record for the distance, the other two were one-tick off the record.
In one section, Greg Simendinger's Dragons Blood rolled to a 1:09.1 clocking equaling the world record. Ross Wolfenden steered the Dragon Again-Canaco Model gelding to his third consecutive win and fifth in his last six starts. Beach Enigma N (Morgan) finished second, Jus Trouble (Jim King) was third.
Dan Murray's Pegasus Osborne also won easily and in record equaling time of 1:09.1. Jim Morand drove the Nobleland Sam-Jate Amour Osborne gelding to his second straight win and third in four races. Artistic Wonder (Callahan) was second best. Casimir Godzilla (Brandon Givens) was the show horse.
In the first two divisions, Irene Turnage's Bagel Beach Boy and Corey Callahan posted a 1:09.2 victory over the five-eighth mile, one-fifth off the record. It was the Jennas Beach Boy-Gift 11-year-old's second win in his last three starts and fourth in six. Irish Cowboy (Wolfenden) and Fourchu (Vince Copeland) were second and third respectively.
Morand drove Vic Ventura's He May Be Angel to a similar 1:09.2 score. Cloudy Heights N (Jon Roberts) was second in front of High Brook Lou (Givens). The win by the altered son of Sportsmaster-Anxious Dd was his third in a row.
The first four finishers in each of the Go The Distance events return next Saturday in two $15,000 races over a one-mile distance.
(With files from Dover Downs)