It was a five-win card for Corey Callahan topped by a 1:52.2 victory by Tough Mac in the $20,000 Open Handicap Trot on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Dover Downs. Trainer Dylan Davis had four wins while owner Mike Casalino tripled.
Callahan drove Casalino’s Tough Mac, who was bet down to a 3-5 favourite, into the early lead and never looked back en route to his third win of the year in the week’s top trotting event. The Davis-conditioned Tough Mac extended his lead at the three-quarters and breezed home in a :28.3 final panel to equal his lifetime record. Wind Of The North (Sean Bier) took to the outside as the field turned for home and zoomed from sixth to within two strides of catching Tough Mac at the wire. Uva Hanover (Tony Morgan) was the third-place finisher.
Tough Mac's victory was the third in his last four starts. The black gelding by Lockkeeper-Traditional Lady has won 28 times overall and has earned $354,692 in purses.
Two races prior, Callahan had just enough to steer Earls Speeder past leader Celebrity Pegasus (Art Stafford Jr.) in the final step for a lifetime-best 1:52.3 win in the $15,000 4&5-Year-Old Winners Over Trot. The Earl Of Stormont-Trapazius gelding is also trained by Davis for Casalino. Steel Reserve (Vic Kirby) was third.
The same connections won the Wednesday opener with trotter Dream Merchant, and Callahan and Davis also teamed up for a subsequent victory with Paging Doctorlindy.
This week's $30,000 Preferred Pace features four newcomers on Thursday: Take It Back Terry, McArdles Lightning, Katies Rocker and the sharp Star Messenger. The co-feature is the $27,500 Delaware Special led by Blazing Bobby Sox, Little Ben and Mustang Art.
Monday through Thursday post time is 4:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are dark days.
(With files from Dover Downs)