Racing Roundup: JM Vangogh wins $26,000 Dover Trot
February 18, 2010,from Harness Publicists across North America
Wednesday’s (Feb. 17) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, The Meadows and Monticello Raceway.
JM Vangogh wins $26,000 Dover Trot
Dover, DE — JM Vangogh added another $13,000 to his substantial career bankroll, scoring a 1:56 victory in the $26,000 Open Handicap Trot on Wednesday at Dover Downs. Ross Wolfenden drove four winners.
Tony Morgan left quickly to get the lead as the select field of six sped from the starting gate. The 10-year-old, $1.9 million winning son of Earl-Queen Tut then cut out all the fractions on the way to his second win in five starts this year for owners Wilma and trainer Paul Chambers.
Race favorite Looking Hanover and co-owner, driver Yannick Gingras got away last before moving out on the backstretch to fourth at the three-quarters. He was second, three lengths off the leader on the final turn. As the trotters headed for home, Looking Hanover closed strongly but finished a half-length behind JM Vangogh at the wire. Up Down N Around with Daryl Bier took third.
The $18,000 sub-featured trot went a tick of the clock fastest than the feature when Joey The Jet JT closed with a rush to score a 1:55.4 victory, the third of four for Ross Wolfenden.
Owned by Ken Wood and Bill Dittmar, the Wesgate Crown-NV Becky gelding sat third until reaching the last turn before coming to the outside and then dashed to his first win of the New Year for trainer Eric Ell. DC Northern came on to finish second with Chosen Voyageur (Corey Callahan), the early leader, third.
— Marv Bachrad
Speed Bomb jogs in Meadows $25,000 Trot
Washington, PA — Speed Bomb carved out comfortable fractions on the lead, then waltzed home Wednesday to capture the $25,000 Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows.
Though Speed Bomb left from post eight, Dave Palone guided him through a leisurely first half of :58.4 over a sloppy surface. The 7-year-old son of Master Lavec-Mighty JC encountered no challengers thereafter, scoring in 1:57.3. Gold’n Chip Chip rallied from well back for second, a length in arrears, with Primo Spur third.
Ron Burke trains Speed Bomb, who extended his career bankroll to $459,004, for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC, JJK Stables and Phillip Collura.
Brett Miller drove five winners on the 15-race card, giving him nine victories over the past two programs.
— Evan Pattak
Driving race heats up at MonticelloMonticello, NY — The battle for leading driver rages at Monticello Raceway. Billy Dobson, who has ridden the crest since the New Year, is still atop the leaderboard but he’s being challenged, most closely by Bruce Aldrich, Jr.
As Wednesday dawned Dobson brought his meet-leading 48 victories with him and when the 13-race card had finished the transplanted Michiganite had his picture taken three times. But try as he may Dobson can’t shake Aldrich, who began the afternoon with 45 wins and then added four more to his total and now trails Dobson by just two victories, 51-49.
“Oh there’s a long way to go before anybody wins anything,” said Aldrich, who not only is approaching 3,000 career driving victories but also wears the Monticello moniker of “driver of the decade” for winning the most races from 2000 through 2009.
“You know before it’s all over there probably will be others in the hunt, especially with guys like Greg Merton and Zeke Parker who are always tough to contend with.”
Merton, the younger of the Merton brothers driving duo (Mike’s the other), had a five-win afternoon last Thursday, added three wins on Tuesday and had two more victories on Wednesday. His 40 triumphs ranks him third and not far off the front-runners.
And Zeke Parker, who’s closing in on 10,000 career wins, currently has 30 driving victories since January 1.
— John Manzi