The five-year-old Dover Dan gelding Dover In Motion returned to Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel on Tuesday, July 9 and put forth an exhibition in the $68,493 Open Trot, registering the fastest mile ever trotted over the track with an open-length win.
Starting from post four, driver Ricky Macomber Jr. floated Dover In Motion forward to race fourth past a :26.1 first quarter as Oh Look Magic (Devon Tharps) planted himself on the point out of post eight. Macomber tipped his charge off the pylons moving to a :55.1 half and thrusted forward up the backside to quickly open ground on Oh Look Magic in the third-quarter sprint. Dover In Motion clicked past the third station in 1:22 and motored through the final turn and the stretch under wraps to notch a 6-3/4-length victory over pocket-popper Pioneer As (Marvin Luna) in 1:50.4. Sparks Fly (Marcus Miller) grabbed third and Amigo Volo (Joey Putnam) closed from last for fourth.
The mile by Dover In Motion, giving him his 20th win from 45 starts and adding to his bankroll now worth $721,144 for owners M&M Racing and Macomber Racing, bested the previous track record for aged trotting geldings of 1:51.2 established by Kildare King in 2022. Dover In Motion's mile also bests the all-time trotting record of 1:51.1 tied by stallions Cuatro De Julio and Keg Stand. Jamie Macomber trains the $3.40 winner, who also scored in a lifetime-best time.
Trainer Anette Lorentzon led all conditioners with three wins on the 12-race card. Her hat trick started early in the afternoon with a win by Eye Ofa Tiger As (Marvin Luna, 1:54.2 winning mile; $15.36 to win) and later wrapped with a sweep of the late daily double by Cleopatra As (Marvin Luna, 1:56.4; $3.24) and Brodeur (Marvin Luna, 1:53.1; $3.48).
Live harness racing resumes at Oak Grove on Sunday, July 14 with nearly $1-million USD in purses up for grabs. Sunday's card will feature eight $100,000 USD finals of the Kentucky Sire Stakes for two- and three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits, as well as a $60,000 USD Open Pace that will contend Midwest champion Little Rocket Man against Oak Grove's hometown champ and track record holder Admiral Hill. A pair of Pick 5 carryovers are also on offer Sunday, with the Early Pick 5 (starting in Race 1) featuring a $1,678.72 carryover and the Late Pick 5 (starting in Race 6) offering a $367.06 carryover. Free program pages for every race day, courtesy of TrackMaster, are available on the Oak Grove Racing website.
(Oak Grove)