The trip was sweet, but the end result was even sweeter for Limelight Beach in Thursday’s $30,000 Open Preferred Handicap for pacers at Dover Downs.
Yannick Gingras worked out a two-hole trip with Limelight Beach, who tracked Major Uptrend through splits of :27.3, :56.3 and 1:24.2. Limelight Beach sprinted late and used his :27.2 closing quarter to prevail over the tempo-setter by a nose in 1:52.1. Jet Airway was third.
Ron Burke trains the 8-1 upsetter for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, M1 Stable LLC and Wingfield Brothers LLC. The six-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Benear won for the second time this season and for the 21st time in his career. He’s quickly closing in on $1.3 million in lifetime earnings.
In the very next race – the $27,500 Delaware Special – it was Blazing Bobby Sox rallying for a 1:52 score for trainer/driver Art Stafford, Jr.
Sweet Rock and Mustang Art took turns on the lead through fractions of :27.4, :56.4 and 1:24.1, but they couldn’t fend off Blazing Bobby Sox. Stafford summoned up :27.4 closing speed from his pacer en route to posting the win by 1-1/2 lengths over Sweet Rock in 1:52. Poisonous took home the show dough.
Sent off as the 3-2 favourite, the six-year-old son of The Panderosa-Liamatters improved this year’s record to 4-1-3 from 10 starts with the win. The 18-time winner, who is owned by Art Stafford and Art Stafford, Jr, is just shy of $200,000 in lifetime earnings.