by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Lucan Hanover withstood a tremendous closing effort from Dapper Dude to win the $30,000 Preferred Handicap in 1:51.2 on the Monday (Feb. 22) card at Dover Downs.

Fotowon photo

Lucan Hanover withstood a tremendous closing effort from Dapper Dude to win the $30,000 Preferred Handicap.

Newcomer Lucan Hanover, owned by West Wins Stable and piloted by Yannick Gingras, in his first local appearance had all he could handle in the stretch when Vic Kirby pulled last week’s feature race winner Dapper Dude from dead last. But Lucan Hanover held on for a nose victory. Dapper Dude was followed by Sparky Mark (Jonathan Roberts), who wound up third. Bushwacker (Jim Meittinis) was the race favorite but finished off the board in seventh.

The win was one of three for driver Gingras and one of two for trainer Andrew Harris. Lucan Hanover won his first start of 2016 and moved to $810,626 in career purses with his 19th lifetime win.

Blazing Bobby Sox, driven by Art Stafford Jr., enjoyed a perfect trip following Apollo Seelster (Gingras) on the outside en route to a 1:52.2 victory in one of two $15,000 paces for young horses. Art Stafford, the trainer-driver’s dad, owns The Panderosa-Liamatters gelding, now a three-time winner in 2016. Sectionline Rocks (Allan Davis) came on in the lane to overtake Apollo Seelster for second-place money.

George Dennis pulled Silver Fox J to the outside in mid-stretch and raced past leader Totally Dream (Corey Callahan) to score a 1:52.2 win in another $15,000 pace for young horses, the third win of the year for the Kenneth J-Fox Valley Backoff gelding trained and owned by Dennis, his wife Tina and The Wiz Kids Stable. Time Out I’m Tired (Montrell Teague) was the show horse.

Trainer Eric Ell, who often wins races in bunches, was at it again, posting a triple. Soto closed strongly to win for the third time in his last four outings, capturing a $14,500 male Winners Over Pace in 1:52.1, one of two wins for Vic Kirby. Fancy Colt (Tony Morgan), a 69-1 shot, was a close second with Speed Again (Gingras) third. Soto is owned by Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta, whose Jeremes General with Allan Davis collected a 1:52.3 score in a $20,000 male claiming race. Earlier Ell conditioned Bill Emmons’ Giant Sculpture, also driven by Davis, to a 1:51.1 victory in a $12,500 male pace.