Dont Know Chip overtook Tagyoureit Hanover in deep stretch to win the $27,500 Open Trot in 1:54 at Dover Downs on Wednesday
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Vince Copeland moved Dont Know Chip up on the outside to challenge leader and race favourite Tagyoureit Hanover, piloted by Matt Kakaley, on the backstretch. Approaching the last turn, they were joined by George Dennis-driven Lets Get Serious N. The trio were side-by-side heading for home when Dont Know Chip forged to the front in the final strides with Lets Get Serious in the hunt, but settling for second. Tagyoureit Hanover saw his two-race win streak come to an end with a third-place finish.
Kathy Ratcliff and Jerry Zosel bred and own the Chip Chip Hooray-Ceremonial gelding, now a winner for the first time this year in four starts for trainer-driver Copeland.
One race earlier, Struttin Conway (Tony Morgan) and Allamerican Cheer (Ross Wolfenden) provided a dog-fight finish after racing head-to-head from before the three-quarters until the finish line where only the photo finish camera could determine the actual winner. Struttin Conway, owned by Chasing Paper and trainer Josh Green, has won five times (two in a row) this year in eight outings. A nostril back, Allamerican Cheer was second while Par Done Putt (Brad Hanners), a former Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund champion, came on strongly for show honours.
Mile Horsey’s Roman Conqueror and Ron Pierce nipped Warrawee Monarch (Corey Callahan) in a brisk two-horse battle down the homestretch for a 1:50.4 victory, the fastest on the card, in a $10,200 Delaware Male Pace. Devils Embrace N (Ross Wolfenden) was third.
Green trained three winners and had an owner double.
(Dover Downs)