Major Occasion A ($2.80) impressed in Wednesday's (Feb. 5) $27,500 Mares Open at Dover Downs, as he mounted a powerful charge up the backstretch en route to a four and three-quarter-length victory.
Valuable Art, last week's Open winner, left quickly to seat Delishka N in the pocket through a :26.4 first quarter before ceding control to Ideal Lifestyle and Tim Tetrick with a lap to go. Ideal Lifestyle led to the half in :55 before facing a first-over charge from Major Occasion A, who was urged out of fourth by Dexter Dunn to accelerate to the lead past three-quarters in 1:22.4.
Major Occasion A sprinted away from the field to win in a new lifetime best of 1:49.4. Ideal Lifestyle narrowly held for second over Baron Remy, who attempted to follow the winner's cover but failed to gain ground.
Richard "Nifty" Norman trains Major Occasion A, a six-year-old daughter of Art Major, for the Enzed Racing Stable Inc.
(with files from Dover Downs)