McWicked posts 1:48.4 triumph in Progress Pace Preview
November 30, 2014,by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs
Dover, DE — McWicked, the only supplemental entry, romped to a 1:48.4 victory in the $35,000 Progress Pace Preview, turning back seven rivals for his 11th win of a $1.3 million season on Sunday (Nov. 30) at Dover Downs.
With Hall of Famer David Miller at the controls, McWicked moved up quickly to take the lead from JK Endofanero and Yannick Gingras just past the opening quarter in :26.3.
From there it was all McWicked, passing the half-mile pole in :54.3. Big Boy Dreams, upset winner of the recent Matron Stake at Dover Downs, was first to take a shot as Ron Pierce pulled out to challenge after the half heading to the three-quarters in 1:22.1.
Miller then poured it on, rolling home in :26.3 to stop the clock in 1:48.4, the fastest local time of the season, four-fifths of a second from the track record of 1:48, established last Spring by Bandolino. JK Endofanera raced second behind McWicked for most of the mile and finished second with Big Boy Dreams third. All Bets Off (Matt Kakaley) was fourth in front of Somewhere In L A (Tim Tetrick).
McWicked was fresh from victory in the recent Breeders Crown. The ultra-consistent McArdle-Western Sahara colt trained by Casie Coleman for S S G Stables of North Boston, N.Y., has been 1-2-3 in 20 of his 22 races this year. He has banked $1,322,157 in 2014 and $1,501,774 in his career while winning 14 races in only 32 starts.
All eight starters return next Sunday (Dec. 7) for the $301,000 Progress Pace final. Fans at the track will receive the handsome 2014 Progress Pace cap.
Also on the strong program were three $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund second leg preliminaries for 2-year-old colt pacers.
Remember Me VK, with a 1:51.4 performance, is the fastest ever for a freshman with Montrell Teague in the bike for trainer Bobby Wyatt and owners Ron Benton and Sharon Wyatt. Remember Me VK (Art Director-All Memory) was also winner of last month’s $100,000 DSBF final in Harrington Raceway track record time of 1:52.3. Sonofa Sizzle (Corey Callahan) was an easy second. Seboomook Katahdin (Allan Davis) was third.
Corey Callahan teamed with Howard Taylor’s Smoking Joey to win the first DSBF prelim, fashioning a 1:53.4 score. The Riggins-You Don’t Know Me gelding, never out of the money in eight starts, is trained by Doug Lewis. Rigged To Go (Ross Wolfenden) was runner-up with Art Season (Allan Davis) third.
Scott Woogen’s KJ Ben, handled by Art Stafford Jr., won the third and final $20,000 prelim with a 1:54.1 victory, his fifth in eight lifetime trips. A homebred son of Riggins-Winsmith Karen, Duane Wagner conditions the winner. Dashboard (Trace Tetrick) and Roddy’s Hot Again (George Dennis) were second and third, respectively.
Montrell Teague and Art Stafford Jr. had driving doubles.
A pair of $20,000 DSBF filly paces and an $18,000 Mares Open Pace highlight the Monday (Dec. 1) card.
Monday through Thursday post time is 4:30 p.m. There is no live racing Friday and Saturday. Sunday racing resumes at 5:30 p.m.