by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Atta Boy Dan and Phil Your Boots waged a side-by-side battle the length of the stretch before Andrew McCarthy got Atta Boy Dan’s nose first to the finish line in 1:50.1 to win the $36,000 Preferred Handicap Pace on the Monday (March 7) card at Dover Downs.

Fotowon photo

Atta Boy Dan was a nose winner over Phil Your Boots in the Monday feature.

After twice being handicapped to post eight, Atta Boy Dan finally had a better post position, starting from number three in the week’s top pace. The Ron Burke trained Western Terror-Dropitlikeitshot gelding responded with his second win in six starts this season for Weaver Brucsemi and Burke Racing Stable.

Phil Your Boots, steered by Tim Tetrick, was a game second for the second consecutive start, after losing by a nose in the Yonkers feature a week ago. Phil Your Boots is also from the same barn as last week’s winner, Lucan Hanover, trained by Andrew Harris. Third place in this week’s feature belonged to the Tony Morgan driven good closer, Doctor Butch.

Sean Bier and Mustang Art steamed from the outside to take the early lead and set fast fractions before Atta Boy Dan finally took the lead on the final turn.

In the last of 15 races, 13-1 Casey At Bat never got a call until late in the stretch when Allan Davis got him off the rail fifth and closed with a rush nearing the wire in time to catch apparent winner Apollo Seelster (Tetrick) in the final strides for a 1:53.1 win in an $18,500 pace. Skyway Gladiator (Mike Rossi) finished third.

Soto found the passing lane to his liking in a $17,000 winners over pace to catch front-pacing favorite Just A Jolt (Tetrick) at the wire in 1:51 for his second straight victory and third in four and fourth in six starts for trainer Eric Ell and owners Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta. A brown 4-year-old by Rock N Roll Heaven-Incredible Beauty, Soto won for the fifth time this year in eight starts for $38,875 in purses and $151,145 lifetime. Sicily (Allan Davis) took third money.

Swapportunity finally broke through consecutive seconds to score a 1:52.1 triumph in a $16,000 race for young pacers with Jim Morand winning one of his two decisions. The Mach Three-Swap Blue Chip 4-year-old gelding held off a fast finishing Grantland (McCarthy) in a photo. Owned by Arlene Paisley, Ed Maas and Nanticoke Racing, the former Woodbine regular made the winner’s circle for the first time in 2016. Big Secret (Jonathan Roberts) was the show finisher.

Tim Tetrick scored a four-bagger. George Dennis had a triple. Montrell Teague and Tony Morgan had two wins while trainers Kevin Switzer, Dylan Davis and Brian Malone had doubles and KDK Standardbreds had an owner double.