by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Bobnoxious picked up where he left off from the last meet, turning in a 1:52 victory by a nose in the $30,000 Preferred Pace, and Lekrem Bluegrass won the $29,000 Delaware Special, the 2005-06 Dover Downs meet’s opening headliners as its 37th season began on Monday, October 31.

A usual boisterous opening day crowd had plenty to cheer about on Halloween as a number of “old favorites” came through with flying colors.

Bobnoxious was a winner in the Preferred Pace.

The feature race was as easy as 1-2-3, with Bobnoxious winning from the rail with regular driver Tim Curtin after a two hole trip until the top of the stretch. Keystone Rodeo (Brad Hanners) also overtook front-pacing Chewy Gross (Jim Morand), who had to settle for third. Race favorite Driven To Win (David Miller) raced first over and finished out of the money.

The win was the 14th of the year for the Sam Beegle-trained Bobnoxious, a Michigan-bred son of Nude Beach, who has banked $263,190 in 2005 for owners Dan and Tom Courtemanche.

Dover Downs Photos

Lekrem Bluegrass was victorious in the Delaware Special.

Lekrem Bluegrass, owned by Richard Roberts and trainer Bob Reeser, rolled three-wide from the three-quarter pole to notch a 1:53.1 triumph in the $29,000 Delaware Special. Scootin Scholar (Brandon Givens) saw a two race win streak end, finishing second, with High Calibre N (Steve Warrington) racing gamely to finish third. It was one of two wins for driver David Miller.

Jim Morand’s second win of the night came guiding Dean Davis and Jim Snyder’s Flight Sign home in 1:52.3 to register his ninth win of the year in the $24,000 Open Handicap. Nvincbl Artist (Brad Hanners) picked up the place with Next Flight (Ross Wolfenden) third.

Mark’s Secret Love, owned by Ken and Betsy Wood and Henry King, won the $18,500 Winners Over Pace with a 1:53 victory with Eddie Davis, Jr. in the bike. Corporate Rrraider (Tim Curtin) closed late to take second with Voracious Hanover (Ben Stafford, Jr.) the show horse.

John Frazer III’s homebred Atenothnbutdscootr set a lifetime record of 1:52.1 on the way to victory in one of two $15,000 Delaware Winners Over Paces. Jim King drove the five-year-old Direct Scooter gelding, beating Speakeasy (Brian Sears) and Bramalea Road (George Dennis) to the finish line.

Griffin Conley’s C’mon C’mon C’mon closed strongly for Brandon Givens on the way to a 1:52.1 score in the other $15,000 Winners Over Pace. Tug River Jim (David Miller) finished second in front of pace setting Wynfield Bob (Ross Wolfenden).

David Miller also drove Newman Racing Stable’s 2002 Progress Pace champion Radar Sign to victory in 1:53, taking a $13,000 conditioned pace. Aliquippa (Jim Morand) was next in front of Casimir Bad Boy (Ross Wolfenden).

Paul Quirk’s Coopers Creek N returned to the friendly environs of North Dover where he posted five wins last spring and with Brad Hanners driving responded with a 1:53.4 victory to win a $12,600 Delaware owned pace. Mattazuma (Jim King) finished second, with Winbak Hotshot third.

Brad Hanners won his second of three wins during the program, steering Janelle Winer and Margaret Harmon’s Bedrock Café N to victory for the fifth time in seven starts with two seconds, registering a 1:53.1 victory in the first of two $40,000 claiming allowance paces. Swinging Scooter A (George Dennis) and Rich N Dandy (Brandon Givens) were second and third respectively.

Ross Wolfenden called on 14-1 shot Golfman, owned by Pete Geldof and trainer Trish Bichler, to close with a rush to score a 1:53 victory in the second $40,000 claimer. Twelve Seventeen (Jack Parker, Jr.) took second money. Stonebridge Premio (David Miller) led early and held on for third.

Classy veteran Invader Hall streaked along the inside to score a 1:53 win to take a $30,000 claiming allowance. Jim Morand guided the 10-year-old, owned by Harness The Power, past Elegant Dreams (David Miller) and front pacing Galactic Council N (Roger Plante) to his eighth win of the season. It was one of three opening day winners for defending champ trainer Kevin Lare.

In a $30,000 Claiming pace, Eddie Nickle took the passing lane in deep stretch to get up at the wire in 1:54.4 to best Albagold (Brian Sears) and Jugluar (Jim King) in the lane.

Time Flies N leads first $24,000 Mares Open

Time Flies N, Apache Dame, Jenny’s Picnic and Seasin carry win streaks into the $24,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace, on the first Tuesday program of the 2005-06 Dover Downs meet on November 1. Post time is 4:30 p.m.

Brad Hanners will drive the Wendy Crissman and Wayne Pryor-owned Time Flies N from the outside post eight in the distaff feature. Ontario-bred Apache Dame, a winner of three Harrington Opens for Paul McDougall and WJ McDougall Racing during the fall, drew post two with Ross Wolfenden. Steve Warrington drives Jenny’s Picnic for Don Hawk, Joe Hynansky and trainer Dan Warrington, a winner last week from the rail. Owner-trainer-driver Roger Plante’s Seasin steps up after two straight victories.

Recently qualified, Joey White and Harness The Power’s Ann Other Porsche, driven by Brad Hanners, is the richest this season of the female group. The Australian bred came on late last spring and now has 12 wins and $131,260 in 2005 purses.

The rest of the field includes Peggy Martin’s DSBF filly champ Vital Flyte, with Kevin Sizer driving the only sophomore in the race; Vicki Givens, Sharon White and Louie Paglierani’s tough four-year-old Pacific Illusion with Brandon Givens; and Tim Hundertpfund’s Hummingbird, making her first start since the Meadowlands meet.

The secondary feature is a $15,500 three, four and five-year-old pace with nine starters, five of them three-year-olds.

Ima Prince Too (Brandon Givens) brings four wins and two seconds in his last six outings into the fray. Rose, Graziano and the Nanna’s stakes seasoned Yonkers Hall (Jim Morand) come in from The Red Mile and leaves from the rail. JoAnn King’s Island Ace has been razor sharp since entering trainer-driver Jim King’s barn.

Other contenders are Heather Malone’s Real Art (Hal Belote), Todd Wise’s Armbro Compass (Jim Morand), Griffin Conley’s Miracle Believer (Eddie Davis, Jr.), Erika Paradee’s Supreme Dan (Mike Cole) and Greg Simendinger’s Constant Hope N (Steve Warrington), who has post nine in the second tier.

Monday through Thursday post time at Dover Downs is 4:30 p.m. There is no racing on Fridays. Saturday and Sunday racing begins at 5:30 p.m. There is no charge for parking or admission. Reservations are suggested for the Winner’s Circle Restaurant. Call (302) 674-4600.