by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Bushwacker recorded his third win at the meet on Monday (Feb. 1) at Dover Downs, scoring a 1:50.2 victory in the week’s top pace, the $30,000 Preferred.

Fotowon photo

Bushwacker was a 1:50.2 winner in the $30,000 Preferred.

For the second straight week, Tim Tetrick piloted Henderson Farms’ Bushwacker into the early lead but this time did not stop in the stretch on the way to a 1:50.2 success. The 5-year-old altered son of Rocknroll Hanover-Dolphins Can Talk posted his sixth victory in his last eight starts with a second and a third for trainer Chris Ryder. The win pushed his career bankroll to $411,212. Doctor Butch (Tony Morgan) was a fast finishing second with Dapper Dude (Vic Kirby), last week’s winner, third.

Mustang Art (16-1) was a repeat winner in the $27,500 Delaware Special. For Mustang Art, the only change was a driver, Sean Bier. Just as last Monday, when he went off at 13-1 odds, the Artiscape-Paula Seelster gelding left fast to get the lead, then sat second behind runner-up Bad Boy Matt (Allan Davis) until late in the stretch before coming on for a !:50.2 triumph for his second consecutive Delaware Special win. Captive Audience (Corey Callahan) was the show horse. Max Walton and Greg Papaleo own Mustang Art, who won for the 42nd time.

Casey At Bat made it two straight victories in $15,000 male company to lead off the program as Allan Davis drove the 4-year-old Sportsmaster-Odds On Casey gelding to victory number-five this meet for trainer Wayne Givens and Sharon White, Denise Davis and Legacy Racing. Totally Dreamy (George Dennis) finished second with Twin B Stingray (Kirby) third.

Blazing Bobby Sox came from off the pace to take the lead three-wide turning for home and rolled to a 1:54.1 decision in a $15,000 pace. Driver Art Stafford Jr., who owns The Panderosa-Liamatters gelding with his dad, Art Stafford, won for the fifth time this meet. Skyway Gladiator (Mike Rossi) led until the closing steps and finished second in front of Denslow Hanover (Tetrick).

Brioni, a 5-year-old Four Starzzz Shark-Ambro Bahama horse, claimed last week, won for new owner-trainer Ron Davis for his sixth consecutive victory, romping to a 1:52 conquest in a $15,000-$20,000 male claiming handicap to give Tony Morgan, the second leading winning driver in North America, his third win on the program. Beavercreek Artist (Allan Davis) and Sir Jonathan Z Tam (Tyler Davis) were second and third, respectively.