by Jim Whittemore, publicity director, Ocean Downs

Berlin, MD — Three-year-old colt Anton Hanover won the final leg of the Robert Cotton, Jr. Memorial Late Closer on Friday night at Ocean Downs, notching his fifth win of 2004. Driver Ray Robinson, Jr. was in the bike for the feature race with a purse of $8,700.

“He’s a very nice colt. He had a lot of trouble in the first turn, made the lead. I had to use him pretty hard to get to the quarter…got run down the backside, looking like he was beat but he never gave up. Kept digging and that’s what got him the win,” Robinson said of the Kay Gannon-trained colt.

“Shorty” Robinson also was a third race winner with five-year-old mare Ellen’s Girl and now has 38 wins for the meet, but trails meet-leader Rick Still by 11 in the driver’s chase with one night of racing remaining.

Still notched a first race win behind 11-year-old gelding Rooster Fin for his 49th win this summer.

Richard Ringler has wrapped up the trainer’s title for the 56th annual live meet. He heads into the final day of the meet with a 14-10 lead over Jack Baumann, who has only one horse on the final day’s card.

Driver W. (David) Hill III had two wins on Friday at the Ocean Oval and now has 13 victories this summer.

The defending driving champ, Corey Braden, won the seventh race with four-year-old gelding Skid Mark. Braden is in third place with 24 wins after 38 days of racing. One night of the meet was lost to a tropical storm warning on August 14.

Driver, trainer and horse awards will be presented during Saturday night’s closing program, which will be followed by a fireworks display from the infield. The first 1,500 fans to purchase a program Saturday will get a coupon redeemable for a free Ocean Downs hat. There are 13 races on the card with a first post time of 7:25 p.m.