Corey Callahan pulled Nat A Virgin three-wide on the final turn and zipped past battling leaders Divas Image (Tim Tetrick and Enhance Your Mind (Vic Kirby) to score a 1:51victory in the $25,000 Mares Open pace on a chilly Wednesday (Dec. 13) at Dover Downs.
Divas Image, making her first start at the track, took the early lead fought off challengers on the backstretch with the field fanning out in the lane. There was plenty of action in the stretch with the Dylan Davis-trained Nat A Virgin, a 19-1 shot, exploding on the outside and reaching the wire in 1:51. Enhance Your Mind took the inside track to finish second in front of Divas Image. Empress Deo (Ross Wolfenden), who had won two straight, was fourth—her first non-one-two finish in seven starts.
Nat A Virgin, a six-year-old Always A Virgin mare, notched her sixth win in her 31st outing this year while earning $85,300 for owner Mike Casalino.
Eddie Davis, Jr. guided Frank Chick’s Rockin BB to victory rolling down the passing lane in 1:52.2 to win the $18,000 sub-feature for fillies and mares. It was the sixth success this season for the Rockin Image sophomore. The Kevin Lare trainee has won $118,955 in 2017. OK Jasmine (Kirby) finished second with Bad Lightning (Art Stafford, Jr.) the third horse.
Roselily recorded her second win in her last three starts, a 1:51.3 lifetime best, in a $16,000 female pace. Art Stafford, Jr. was in the bike for trainer Eric Ell and owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar, Steve Iaquinta, and Minisink Farms. The brown three-year-old is by Big Jim and out of Emmas Lily, and now has won six times earning $78,109. Race favourite Take Em (Callahan) took a four-race win streak into the contest but had to settle for second. All About The Pace (Tetrick) was third.
Westsluckycam gave Corey Callahan his first of two wins. Conditioned by Mike Hall, the four-year-old daughter of Camluck achieved her 10th conquest of the campaign in 1:52.1 in a $13,000 distaff pace. BJs Sweetheart (Foster) was the runner-up. Fashion Showdown (Tony Morgan) took show honours.
Frank Milby, Vic Kirby, and Corey Callahan had doubles, as did trainer Dylan Davis.
$25,000 Open Pace Tops Thursday Dover Card
A $25,000 Open pace is the headline event on a hard-hitting, speedy 13-race program on Thursday (Dec. 14).
The eight-horse $25,000 Open Handicap is this week’s top race. Sicily returns after a 1:49.3 dead-heat victory last week with Cajon Lightning. Montrell Teague drove Sicily’s wire-to-wire performance, sharing first place with the Art Stafford-driven Cajon Lightning. Sicily is trained by Wayne Givens for Reggie Hazzard and Legacy Racing, while Cajon Lightning is owned by Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar, Steve Iaquinta and Minisink Farms.
Niss Allen and Crissman, Inc. start Major Uptrend (Tony Morgan), who drops down from the Preferred class. JoAnn Looney King’s Qs Cruise, with Tim Tetrick driving, was awarded the rail for being the only three-year-old in the lineup.
The undercard is a good one, with an $18,000, a $14,000 and a $13,000 pace along with two $25,000-$35,000 claiming paces serving as supporting events on the 13-race program.
(Dover Downs)