Dover Downs Thursday card offers blend of upsets
On a night when several thoroughbred race tracks cancelled their live cards, Dover Downs offered a solid Thursday program in which drivers and pacers braved the subfreezing temperatures to unleash numerous fast miles over the five-eighths mile oval.
In one of the final races on the card, Never Say Never N (Corey Callahan) forged a 9-1 upset in the $25,000 Open Handicap when he gained command from the rail early and never relented en route to a length victory in 1:50.4. A six-year-old Bettor's Delight stallion trained by Dylan Davis, Never Say Never N notched his second win in five starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $30,000 while keeping Sicily (Victor Kirby) at bay through the lane.
Two races earlier in the $16,000 Select Winners Over, Sweet Rock (Allan Davis) uncorked the fastest mile of the night when he posted a mild 9-2 upset in 1:50.1. An eight-year-old Rock N Roll Hanover gelding trained by Wayne Givens, Sweet Rock notched his first win in five starts this year and doubled his seasonal earnings to $13,000 and likely earned a berth in the Open Handicap next week.
Then two races earlier in the $12,000 Winners Over class, Jj Flynn (Tim Tetrick) maintained the hot start to his winter campaign when he led throughout en route to a two-length score as the 6-5 favorite in 1:51.1. A six-year-old Western Ideal gelding trained by Josh Green, Jj Flynn recorded his third win in four starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $17,000 and likely earned a promotion into the Select Winners Over class next Thursday.
Two races earlier in another $12,000 Winner Over group, Proper One (Callahan) lived up to his billing as the 7-5 choice when he gained command early and led throughout for a length score in 1:53.1. A five-year-old Proper Respect gelding trained by Carlo Poliseno, Proper One notched his first win from three starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $7,000 with his inaugural 2019 score.
One race earlier in a non-winners of $10,000 last six class for pacers, Bad Boy Brad A (Tetrick) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite when he held safe 8-5 second choice Dialamara (Jason Lynch) for a neck tally in 1:53. A nine-year-old Righteous Man gelding trained by Jim King, Jr. of Shartin N and Wakizashi Hanover fame, Bad Boy A recorded his second win four starts this year and doubled his seasonal earnings to nearly $11,500.
Then one race earlier in a non-winners of nine races lifetime class for younger pacers, Highland Beach Boy (Kirby) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite when he edged 21-1 outsider Jack Roger (Callahan) and Rollinlikethunder (Art Stafford, Jr.) to score by a neck in 1:53.1. A four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Bryan Truitt of Speciality fame, Highland Beach Boy notched his second victory in four starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $23,000.
Two races earlier in a non-winners of six races class for younger pacers, Romantic Interest (Frank Milby) forged an 8-1 upset when he edged Sweet Sun Daze (Russell Foster) in 1:54.1. A four-year-old Always A Virgin gelding trained and driven by Milby for his mother, Candy Milby, Romantic Interest posted his first win in four starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $9,000.
Then one race earlier in the opener, Southwind Moroccan (Tetrick) and Disturbia (Tony Morgan) finished in an unlikely dead-heat in 1:54. Southwind Moroccan, a four-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Joe Hundertfund, Jr., was the 3-10 choice while Disturbia, a four-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven stallion trained by Trevor Stafford, also reached the wire in 1:54 as the longest shot on the board at 42-1.
In one of the final races on the card, Never Say Never N (Corey Callahan) forged a 9-1 upset in the $25,000 Open Handicap when he gained command from the rail early and never relented en route to a length victory in 1:50.4. A six-year-old Bettor's Delight stallion trained by Dylan Davis, Never Say Never N notched his second win in five starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $30,000 while keeping Sicily (Victor Kirby) at bay through the lane.
Two races earlier in the $16,000 Select Winners Over, Sweet Rock (Allan Davis) uncorked the fastest mile of the night when he posted a mild 9-2 upset in 1:50.1. An eight-year-old Rock N Roll Hanover gelding trained by Wayne Givens, Sweet Rock notched his first win in five starts this year and doubled his seasonal earnings to $13,000 and likely earned a berth in the Open Handicap next week.
Then two races earlier in the $12,000 Winners Over class, Jj Flynn (Tim Tetrick) maintained the hot start to his winter campaign when he led throughout en route to a two-length score as the 6-5 favorite in 1:51.1. A six-year-old Western Ideal gelding trained by Josh Green, Jj Flynn recorded his third win in four starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $17,000 and likely earned a promotion into the Select Winners Over class next Thursday.
Two races earlier in another $12,000 Winner Over group, Proper One (Callahan) lived up to his billing as the 7-5 choice when he gained command early and led throughout for a length score in 1:53.1. A five-year-old Proper Respect gelding trained by Carlo Poliseno, Proper One notched his first win from three starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $7,000 with his inaugural 2019 score.
One race earlier in a non-winners of $10,000 last six class for pacers, Bad Boy Brad A (Tetrick) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite when he held safe 8-5 second choice Dialamara (Jason Lynch) for a neck tally in 1:53. A nine-year-old Righteous Man gelding trained by Jim King, Jr. of Shartin N and Wakizashi Hanover fame, Bad Boy A recorded his second win four starts this year and doubled his seasonal earnings to nearly $11,500.
Then one race earlier in a non-winners of nine races lifetime class for younger pacers, Highland Beach Boy (Kirby) lived up to his role as the even-money favorite when he edged 21-1 outsider Jack Roger (Callahan) and Rollinlikethunder (Art Stafford, Jr.) to score by a neck in 1:53.1. A four-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding trained by Bryan Truitt of Speciality fame, Highland Beach Boy notched his second victory in four starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $23,000.
Two races earlier in a non-winners of six races class for younger pacers, Romantic Interest (Frank Milby) forged an 8-1 upset when he edged Sweet Sun Daze (Russell Foster) in 1:54.1. A four-year-old Always A Virgin gelding trained and driven by Milby for his mother, Candy Milby, Romantic Interest posted his first win in four starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings past $9,000.
Then one race earlier in the opener, Southwind Moroccan (Tetrick) and Disturbia (Tony Morgan) finished in an unlikely dead-heat in 1:54. Southwind Moroccan, a four-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding trained by Joe Hundertfund, Jr., was the 3-10 choice while Disturbia, a four-year-old Rock N Roll Heaven stallion trained by Trevor Stafford, also reached the wire in 1:54 as the longest shot on the board at 42-1.
ADVERTISEMENT
