by Marv Bachrad, for Dover Downs
Dover, DE — For the third straight start Emeritus Maximus toyed with a sub-1:50 victory. This week he did it by pacing a 1:49.3 mile to win the $30,000 Delaware Special Handicap on Thursday (March 9) at Dover Downs where fast times were the norm.
Fotowon photo
Emeritus Maximus paces the swiftest mile of the night, 1:49.3, en route to this third consecutive victory at Dover Downs.
Yannick Gingras was in the bike behind the 7-year-old Rocknroll Hanover-Eternity’s Delight horse and despite his tough trip, he posted his seventh win in 10 starts in 2017.
Leaving fast from the outside, Gingras elected to back Emeritus Maximus into third during a :25.4 opening quarter-mile. Quickly on the move in front of the grandstand, the pacer took over at the half-mile in :54.
There was plenty of activity on the backstretch zooming past the three-quarters in 1:21.2. Rounding the final turn, Art Stafford Jr. and Blazing Bobby Sox were four-wide and coming on strongly. Emeritus Maximus held on at the wire to beat Sweet Rock (Allan Davis) with Blazing Bobby Sox third.
Claimed by Don Marine and Brent Hall on Jan. 19, Emeritus Maximus, trained by Kyle Moore, has started seven times and now has stepped up the ladder winning, five times including the last three Delaware Specials. He has now won $65,645 this year.
A full brother to New Jersey Sire Stakes champion Ideal Rocky ($07,680) and a talented juvenile stakes performer himself before setbacks, Emeritus Maximus has now won 21 races in his career banking $480,125 lifetime.
Montrell Teague and Mildred Ventriglio’s Major Uptrend are also streaking. The Somebeachsomewhere-Tricky Tooshie gelding won for the third consecutive start chalking up a 1:49.4 triumph in the $20,000 Open Handicap. Jet Airway (Corley Callahan) was a strong second in front of Rockinonby (Tony Morgan). Tim Crissman conditions the winner of four of eight starts this year. The win was the 28th lifetime for the $291,333 earner.
Richard Stansbury’s All The Cookies, trained by Kenny Mitchel and driven by Gingras, put in a game effort reducing his personal best winning time to 1:50.2 winning the first of three $15,500 4 & 5-Year-Old Male paces. Tip It On Back (Bret Brittingham) finished second ending a two-race win streak while McJagersonthemove (Tim Tetrick) was the show horse.
In the second $15,500 event, Poisonous and Ross Wolfenden came from far off the pace to overtake Rangers Sureshot (Gingras) and front pacing Little Ben (Tetrick) for a lifetime best 1:50.2 victory. Josh Green owns and conditions the Art Major-She’s Poison 5-year old.
The third division went to Cloud Speed with Stafford Jr. in 1:50.1. Stafford Jr. hustled the Dragon Again-Cams Exotic gelding, owned by Ben Stafford and Bill Daggett, onto the lead before the half-mile and continued on for his fourth win in eight starts this season.
Steady Warrior made it four straight wins scoring a 1:50.1 decision in a $12,000 Male Pace. Gingras piloted the victory for Frank Canzone and owner/trainer Ed Gannon Jr. A 6-year-old son of Royal Mattjesty-Latin Liftoff, he held off Toatsmygoats (Pat Berry), second and Smart Rokker (Morgan), third.
Gingras had a driving triple, Callahan and owner/trainer Dylan Davis had two wins each.