Jon Roberts moved Ron Mario’s Bay Sign from second at the quarter to take the lead on the way to his 12th win of 2004 taking the $28,000 Preferred Pace for the second straight week. Bobnoxious (Tim Curtin) closed strongly to finish second missing by a neck. Ashlee’s Big Guy (Brad Hanners) was right there in third.

Dover Downs Photo

Bay Sign (2) edged Bobnoxious (5) in Monday’s $28,000 Preferred Pace at Dover Downs.

Bill Camp’s 4/5-favorite Racing Naked, three wide around the final turn, came on late to get up in 1:53.2 for George Dennis to win the $23,000 Open Pace in 1:53.2. Jon Roberts moved 37-1 Instigator along the passing lane to finish second while Racin John (Steve Warrington), after leading from the clubhouse turn to the last few strides, had to settle for third.

In the $18,500 Jr. Open Pace, Roger Hammer spent much of the mile on the outside but was strongest in the stretch scoring a half-length 1:53.4 win behind Jack Claypoole’s HR’s Mr. Kelly. Jason William N (Steve Warrington) cut out the mile and held on for second nipping Art Director (Brad Hanners).

Eddie Davis Jr. powered Roy Parker’s Maverick Seelster down the lane to notch a 1:54.2 decision in one of three $40,000 Claiming Allowance paces. Ronnie Mac A (George Dennis), off at 14-1 from the rail, was second. Pfeil (Mike Cole) took show honors.

Cantwell Bridge Stable’s Lar’s Legacy sat alongside leader Hello Newman (Steve Warrington) until mid stretch before pulling away for a 1:54.4 score in another $40,000 claimer. E Shopper (Daryl Bier) closed well to finish third.

Moon Sign moved to the outside at the top of the lane and then caught Swinging Scooter A (Eddie Davis) in the final step to notch a 1:53.2 win. It was the second straight win for the seven-year-old Life Sign horse owned by Howard Taylor and trained and driven by Ed Nickle. Racsan Nuke (Vic Kirby) cut out the fractions before tiring in deep stretch.

Jim Cane and trainer Bob Shahan’s On Track recorded his third straight victory for meet leading driver Brad Hanners, a 1:54 win in a $30,000 Claiming Allowance. Ring Of Life (Mike Cole) finished second with Bluechip Hanover A (Cat Manzi) the third horse.

Earlier Cat Manzi steered Vern and Jana Hood’s Irish Shade to an easy 1:53.2 win taking a $30,000 Claiming Allowance. The Shady Character gelding beat Best Of Luck (Eddie Davis Jr.) and Generous GB (Steve Warrington) to the finish line for his third win in five races.

Manzi then steered Nick Callahan’s Life Moves On to a 1:54 success in a $25,000 Claiming Allowance. Foreverinmydreams (Kevin Lare) finished second with Primus Sammy (Travis Bowman) third.

Roger Plante scored the third of three winners piloting Ed and Jim Hall’s C’mon Forty-Niner from last at the half to fly four-wide around the last turn passing the leaders to a convincing 1:54.3 victory in a $25,000 Claiming Allowance. Jaccka Midnight N (Cat Manzi) appeared on the way to victory overtaking front pacing Shuffle’s Western nearing the finish line before C’mon Forty-Niner sailed by.

Plante also guided Shadow Maker A, owned by Dom Rafanelli and Joe Spano, to a front pacing 1:55.1 victory in another $25,000 Claiming Allowance. Have A Good Life (Brad Hanners) was a neck back in second and a nose in front of Big Muddy (Tim Curtin) in a photo. Earlier, Plante drove Prince Of Flight N to a 1:55.4 win in a $17,500 Delaware Claiming Allowance.

Bret Brittingham took Toby Lynch Inc.’s American Sam right to the front and never looked back in a 1:54.2 triumph in a $25,000 Claiming Allowance. Extra Fine Cam (Jim Morand), the betting favorite, had a 2-hole trip and finished second. Yankee Prince (George Dennis) was third.

Tux, owned and driven by Tim Curtin, came from off the pace to pick up a 12-1 win from post 8 in a $20,000 Delaware Claiming Allowance. Market Dream (Brandon Givens) was placed second and Fancy Creek Sport (Ross Wolfenden) third, when Bing N (Steve Warrington) was taken down for interference after being second at the wire.

Jett Away, Rondel Franco N to head Mares Open pace

Jett Away, Rondel Franco N, Cams Little Imp, and Time Flies N will lead a strong field of nine distaffers in a $22,000 Mares Open Handicap on Tuesday at Dover Downs, and a $15,500 mares winners-over pace will head a strong undercard. Post time will be at 4:30 p.m. (EST).

George Brem, Mike Nichols and Bob McGee’s Jett Away returned to top form last time out with Bret Brittingham piloting her to a 1:53² victory, in which she caught Time Flies N, owned by Wayne Pryor and Wendy Crissman, who had set the pace. Sean Bier will drive the In The Pocket mare this time, and Brad Hanners will again be driving Les Walls and Jack Upchurch’s ultra-consistent Cam’s Little Imp N.

Returning after a short stay at the Meadowlands will be Rondel Franco N, owned by Wilson Clark and trainer Jeff Clark. The 7-year-old Falcon Seelster mare had a string of three straight Open wins in November. Other starters will include William Moffett’s Nuclear Power, to be handled by Eddie Davis, Jr., Rodney Mitchell’s recent acquisition Canaco Lily, with Eddie Davis in the bike, Jeff Franklin’s Rain Dance Kim, who was the Horse of the Meet two years ago, who will have Travis Bowman driving, and JoAnn King’s Lucille A, to be driven by Jim King, Jr., will start from the rail after having drawn post position eight for three straight races.

A wide-open field of nine filly and mare pacers will line up for a $15,500 purse in the co-feature. Ron and Rhonda Smith’s Mrs Tricky (Jim Morand) will make her first appearance at this level following a 1:54³ win her last time out. Another newcomer is Kayla Marie N (Eddie Davis, Jr.); the Direct Flight 9-year-old, a 12-time winner this year, has been claimed frequently, and most recently by Rodney Long. Jeanne McInnis and Nancy Jackson’s fast-finishing Jay Low (Ross Wolfenden) should prosper because she will move from post position eight to three.

Scootbyal (Vic Kirby), owned by Wyatt Starkey and Jeff Marvel, drew the rail, and Charles Miller’s newly arrived Tawney (Brad Hanners) will start alongside the former. The other contenders will be Clair Corle and driver Roger Hammer’s hard-hitting My Gal Phyl, Sandtana Score N (Jim King Jr.), owned by Bettyjane Corey and Marion Andrew, Carter Racing’s Felicity (Travis Bowman), and Fred Hertrich III’s Silver Dialing (George Dennis).

The Clark’s Bluebird Wanda (Hal Belote), Roger Hammer’s RN Artist, and Cantwell Bridge Stable’s Scootinannirevonah (Brad Hanners) will lead nine to post in an $11,000 mares pace, and Art Stafford’s Vicki Gram will seek her third consecutive win in a $10,500 feature trot.

Dover Downs has added a Pick 4 to its wagering format, and it will be featured on the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh races each day, and a fifth Superfecta has been added to the track’s daily, six-day-a-week, 15 race schedule. Superfectas will be offered on the third, fifth, ninth, 13th, and 15th races. Simulcasting from major harness and Thoroughbred tracks is featured daily, from noon until midnight (EST).