It was no April Fool joke, 4-1 LTs Best beat odds-on favourite Starsel to win the $32,000 Open Handicap trot on Wednesday, April 1 at Dover Downs
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Vince Copeland took LTs Best to the outside on the final turn and then wore down public choice Starsel driven by Daryl Bier in the stretch to score a three-quarter length victory in the $32,000 feature trot. Joey The Jet JT with Ross Wolfenden came home strongly to finish third. The victory was the fourth of the year for the Tom Barrett-owned Davanti-Light Tackle gelding now in the money nine of 12 starts earning $83,560 in 2009.
The $17,500 sub-feature trot was won by Adam Gram and Corey Callahan posting a 1:57.1 victory for owners Mike Casalino and Dylan Davis. The Valley Victor-Carol Gram gelding won for the first time this year. Early Shirley (Clifton Green) finished second while Black Tie (George Dennis) finished third after being parked outside for almost three-quarters of a mile.
DSBF Prelims Completed
Five Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Three-Year-Old trots completed the preliminary legs of the Delaware-sired stakes program. A pair of favourites led off the card as Tony Morgan drove Mark Waterman's T P Lucy to victory in 1:59.1 capping off the mile with a :28.4 final panel. The win was the third in four lifetime starts for the Limbo-Fastreena filly. Bristy Crinkley (Mark A.King) finished second in front of Copper Harbor (Ross Wolfenden)
In the first of two $20,000 colt divisions, Ed Maas and Nanticoke Racing's Ruby Ransom, a three-year-old son of CR Commando-Dreamlands Trophy, sat behind Bakermill Blake (Bob Shahan) from the start and pulled to the outside swinging for home on the way to a 1:58.2 triumph. Linbos In Command (George Dennis) picked up third money.
In the final prelim, Carlo Poliseno took no prisoners on the way to a 1:59.2 victory with Tony Poliseno's Collect The Brass in his first win of the year. Outdoor Action (Eddie Davis Jr.) was second. Spent Force, the wagering favourite, broke stride after the start and rallied for Ross Wolfenden from far back to finish third. Collect The Brass is a CR Commando-Yagot Prestige colt.
There were two $20,000 non-wagering DSBF filly trot events prior to the regular program and both were won by Manley Brown trainees. Lloyd Arnold's Funny Briefs, a Political Briefing-Over Comical bay notched a 2:01.3 decision. No More Games (Corey Callahan) broke stride while moving the outside to challenge, got back trotting and finished second edging Political Spin (Roger Plante Jr.) in the final stride.
In the other non-wagering prelim, Vic Kirby took Pam Wagner's JAs Commando right to the lead and never looked back en route to a 2:01.2 victory, her second in two starts. Worthy Command (Ross Wolfenden) took second in front of A Spur Bet (Clifton Green).
The top eight point getters in the colt and the filly division race for $100,000 finals next Wednesday.
(With files from Dover)