A Blue Million, coming off two successive defeats against Select company, responded to a drop in class with a wire-to-wire victory as he controlled the fractions in the $24,658 Winners Over Trot at Bally’s Dover on Tuesday, March 10.
Driver Tony Morgan, undeterred by his charge's 10-1 odds, launched A Blue Million out from post six to quickly take the lead. They reached the quarter in :27.3 and strolled to the half in :57. Victor Laszlo (Eric Davis) moved to the outside from fourth and raced first-over up the backstretch, giving cover to 1-2 favourite Arrowhead Hanover (Art Stafford Jr.). A Blue Million braced for the challenge of the hard-charging Victor Laszlo racing on the rim and led him by a length through three-quarters in 1:24.4.
They battled down the lane, but the classy pacesetter dug in to hold off the challenger and win by three-quarters of a length in a lifetime-best-equalling 1:53.1. Victor Laszlo finished second and Arrowhead Hanover was third.
A Blue Million, a five-year-old son of Swan In A Million-Ipo Blue Chip, is owned by Stephen Stoll and Nathan Yoder. He won three straight races at Dover to start the season but had missed cheques in his following three outings before Tuesday's win. Tim Crissman trains the gelding, who is now 19-for-62 lifetime. The winner returned $23.60.
"I was very pleased with his performance tonight," Crissman said after the win.
Tim Tetrick drove five winners on the 12-race card, returning to victory lane with Muscledover ($3), Somebody Special ($2.40), Saint K ($4.40), Captain Wonderful ($4) and Sevecheetah ($3). The two-time defending driving champion at Dover has won 71 races across all tracks in 251 starts this year for a strike rate of 28.2 per cent.
Captain Wonderful contributed to a training triple for Jamie Sullivan, whose other two winners, I Get It ($4.20) and Lousbodaciousboy ($3), were handled by Montrell Teague. Sullivan is 14-for-49 this season for a 28.6 per cent win rate.
Jett Propelled looks to extend her three-race win streak in the $20,000 USD Fillies and Mares Winners Over Select Handicap Pace on Wednesday night at Dover. However, Jett Propelled must overcome post eight as she faces Disturbed Hanover, a winner of back-to-back races, and Ballast, who upset her in January.
(With files from Dover Downs)