by Charlene Sharpe, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Charlene Sharpe

Dover, DE — There’s no doubt Nova Artist is the Davis family pet.

Just check out the winner’s circle crowd at Dover Downs when the pacer wins there or catch a glimpse of the two-pound bucket of cookies that accompanies him to the paddock for after the race.

“Everybody loves him in the family,” trainer Martin Davis said.

Davis is quick to admit the 4-year-old is babied, but why wouldn’t he be? So far this year the son of Real Artist-Avon Lady has earned $51,000 in just five starts at Dover Downs. And that’s $51,000 that will stay in the family, as Davis trains the horse for his parents, Eddie and Kathy Davis, while his brother — younger by 11 months — Allan drives the pacer. He’s not the only one with driving experience in the family, as the senior Davis has nearly 9,000 wins in the racebike.

“He is a family horse,” Martin Davis said.

Fotowon photo

Nova Artist won his first three starts in 2011 in the Delaware Special at Dover Downs.

Nova Artist, who Davis’ parents picked out as a yearling for $35,000 at Harrisburg, has won three out of his last five starts, besting his Delaware Special competition in 1:52, 1:51.3 and 1:52.2. Although he did not hit the board in his most recent two starts in Dover’s Preferred, Davis has no complaints about the way he’s sprinted home.

“He’s racing with some bearcats and when you draw outside there’s not much you can do,” he said. “There’s no use torturing him, it’s a long year.”

A long year on top of a tough year last year, in which Nova Artist competed against the top 3-year-olds in the country, including Delmarvalous, Rock N Roll Heaven and I’m Gorgeous. While he didn’t win any of the premier stakes, he nevertheless compiled a record of 23-5-5-4 and earnings of $165,899 under the guidance of Davis and Lou Pena, who trained him for part of the year.

“He’s gone some big miles,” Davis said, recalling a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes event at Harrah’s Chester in which Nova Artist came first over, finishing third to One More Laugh, pacing his mile in 1:52.2 on a sloppy track.

Last fall the colt finished what should have been an easy conditioned race at Dover in sixth place, pacing in 1:56.2. A blood count, however, revealed that Nova Artist had tied up, Davis said. Since then, the horse has spent a lot of time between races on the Equiciser.

Davis said aside from that Nova Artist had a relatively normal routine, getting a day or two off after each race and going a training trip if he had more than a week between starts. At the barn the 4-year-old is known for his “feel good” attitude, as he often prances around with his tail in the air.

Davis is optimistic about the coming year for Nova Artist, who already has more than $333,000 in lifetime earnings. The pacer, who was assigned post seven in next Monday’s Delaware Special, will finish out the month in the First State before he heads up the turnpike for the Four Leaf Clover Series at the Meadowlands.

“If he’s right he’s one of the better ones,” said Davis. “We’ll see.”

But whatever happens, Davis appreciates what the horse has done so far.

“He’s been a pleasure to have,” he said. “He’s the best horse I’ve ever had for sure.”