Ross Wolfenden put Southwestern Dream into the lead on the clubhouse turn and then held off Ise The By Boy the rest of the way while chalking up a 1:50.4 victory in Monday’s $31,000 Preferred Pace at Dover Downs
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After being inches away from victory in two of his previous three starts coming from off the pace, Ross Wolfenden moved Southwestern Dream as the talented nine-horse field raced in front of the grandstand and quickly took over. Ron Pierce and Ise The By Boy moved out to follow the leader, and they were unrelenting despite being forced to race on the outside for more than half a mile.
Southwestern Dream continued strong to the finish line to score his fastest win of 2012 for trainer Bruce Saunders and owner Frank Bellino. The seven-year-old altered son of Cambest-Lady Of Art has won $42,650 this season and $820,194 lifetime.
The second-place finish by Ise The By Boy ends a four-race win streak. Mainland Key N and Tim Tetrick were a fast-finishing third. Nova Artist, fourth with Allan Davis, also had a two-race win stretch come to an end.
Jolt, a six-year-old Powerful Toy-Merciful Maddie gelding, continues to impress as the Johnny Waite-owned and trained speedball uncorked a 1:51.1 triumph with Ross Wolfenden at the controls to win a $23,000 Open Handicap. Kiss My Art (David Miller) was runner-up. Bondy N (Tim Tetrick), a winner of his last two outings, turned in an impressive mile parked out challenging for the lead but had to settle for third.
Five drivers accounted for 15 of the 16 winners during the 15-race program. Tim Tetrick had five winners, Ross Wolfenden, Corey Callahan, Ron Pierce, Allan Davis and Jim Morand, won two each. The other win came when Toby Lynch drove 31-1 Sunshine Superman, a Rocknroll Hanover-Carolina Sunshine gelding he owns and trains, to victory lane.
(Dover Downs)