Overlooked at odds of 13-1, Tagyoureit Hanover made his first start since early November a winning one in the $23,000 Mares Open Trot at Dover Downs on Wednesday
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Matt Kakaley catch-drove the Andover Hall-Tags Sweetie gelding for red-hot trainer Eric Ell and owners Brian Gordon, Ken Wood, Toby Rekoon, and Stewart Goldberg. Kakaley moved Tagyoureit Hanover three-wide after the three-quarters and chopped down the leaders to score a 1:55 victory in the week’s top trot. The Budster (Ron Pierce) rolled out of Post 8 at the start to assume the lead in front of the grandstand and led the way until deep stretch when confronted by a convoy of challengers nearing the finish line. The Budster held on for second. Last week’s winner, Allmar Surprise (Vic Kirby), finished third.
In a program full of longshots, Roger Plante drove Doug Sipple's The Shepard to a 1:57 triumph overtaking Meadowcroft Man (John Wagner) in the closing strides to win the first of two $13,500 sub-feature trots. Par Done My Putt (Corey Callahan) took show honours.
Wight Byrd Racing’s Master In Charge, a race favourite, won the other division. Ross Wolfenden chalked up his third win of the day guiding the Master Lavec-Take Charge Lady gelding to his first win of the year in eight starts. Struttin Conway (Tony Morgan), the only four-year-old in the field, closed strongly to finish second. Go Nano Go (Ron Pierce) was third.
The biggest payoffs of the day came when John MacKinnon got up with Feel The Thunder at 17-1 for his parents, trainer Russ MacKinnon and owner Elaine MacKinnon. Second-place finisher Dicey Miss (Allan Davis) was 34-1 with the favourite A Perfect Deo (Corey Callahan) third. The 4-8 exacta paid $1,033.20 and the 4-8-2 trifecta was worth $5,285.
(Dover Downs)