Dover, DE — Chapheart cruised to a wire-to-wire victory in the Winners Over/Select Handicap Trot at Bally’s Dover on Tuesday night (March 18).
Sent off the 7-5 favorite, Chapheart utilized his quick gate speed to take the lead through a :26.4 first quarter before rating a :56 half. That Ole Bar Stool moved first-up past the half and trotted down the backstretch in pursuit of Chapheart. Muscle Dynasty, who recovered from an earlier miscue followed second-over while Last Glow watched the action from the pocket.
Chapheart trotted with ease past three-quarters in 1:24.1 before pulling away from the field in the stretch to win by six lengths in 1:53. Inaminute Hanover closed to finish second; Rivers was third.
Pat Berry drove Chapheart, a son of Chapter Seven who paid $4.80 to win, for the partnership of Michael Casalino Jr. and trainer Dylan Davis.
Earlier on the card, Melvin G was a 1:57.2 winner in a $10,000 leg of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund late-closing series for 3-year-old male trotters.
Tony Morgan earned a driving triple.
Wednesday’s (March 19) feature race is the $25,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace, carded as race 10. Ludacrous A attempts to win her fourth consecutive start in the United States, but faces competition from Elegant A, who ships in off a win at the Meadowlands, and Factory Girl who posted a 20-1 upset in the Mares Open Handicap Pace two starts ago at Bally’s Dover. First post is 4:30 p.m.