by Marv Bachrad, for Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Arque Hanover enjoyed a two-hole trip on the way to winning the $30,000 Preferred Pace in 1:50.1, while Bushwacker won the $20,000 Open Pace wire-to-wire in 1:51 on a balmy Thursday (Jan. 12) at Dover Downs.

Corey Callahan sat second with Arque Hanover as Dancin Yankee (Tony Morgan) cut the fractions until mid-stretch when a cavalcade of challengers came on.

Arque Hanover, trained by Dylan Davis, just got up to edge Dancin Yankee with Clear Vision (Yannick Gingras), third, in front of Ideal Cowboy (Ross Wolfenden).

Fotowon photo

Arque Hanover collects his 14th career triumph at Dover Downs on Thursday evening.

Abe Basen, Tom Lazzaro and Robert Cooper Stables own Arque Hanover, a 5-year-old son of Rock N Roll Heaven-A Pippin Hanover, who won for the 14th time raising his career bankroll to $323,461.

After his last two starts from the outside, Callahan made good use of post one, driving Bushwacker right to the top. The veteran pacer led the rest of a 1:51 mile to post his 24th lifetime success for trainer Chris Ryder and owner Henderson Farms. Bushwacker fought off a determined bid from Screaman Seaman A (Vic Kirby) on the backstretch before pulling away to victory.

The 6-year-old Rocknroll Hanover-Dolphins Can Talk gelding has now won $549,337 lifetime. Te Kawau N (Daryl Bier) closed strongly to beat Sicily (Allan Davis) for second.

Owner/trainer Gary Ewing’s Star Messenger made it two wins in-a-row when Tony Morgan sent the Jereme’s Jet-Manhattan Killean gelding past Swapportunity (Jim Morand) after dueling down the lane for a 1:51.1 win in a $15,500 Male Pace.

Feel Like A Fool (Gingras) took third money.

Driver Callahan and trainer Davis came back to the winner’s circle when Jet Airway chalked up a 1:50.2 triumph in a $15,000 pace. Owned by Mike Casalino and trainer Davis, the 6-year-old Jereme’s Jet-Aromatic horse held off Mustang Art (Sean Bier) and Silver Fox J (George Dennis) for second and third respectively.

In another $15,000 pacing division, Yannick Gingras drove Bad Gamer to a 1:51.3 victory. Trainer Ed Gannon, Gingras, Frank Canzone and Bob Sabatini own the Badlands Hanover-Kattimon horse who has won four of his last seven races.

Ima Rebel (Morgan) finished second in front of Caviart Skyler (Wolfenden).

Bill Sartin and Mark Salerno’s Sporty Mercedes notched a 1:52.3 win in a third $15,000 pacing division. Ross Wolfenden was at the controls for the Sportswriter-Scootin Mercedes gelding’s victory for trainer Joe Hundertfund.

Denslow Hanover (Allan Davis) was runner-up. Postmaster (Kirby) was the show horse.

Callahan recorded four winning drives, Gingras, Morgan and owner/trainer Dylan Davis had two winners.

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