by Marv Bachrad, Dover Downs Publicity Director

DOVER, Del. — The prestigious Classic Series opens its 2005 season with its four divisions featuring the sport’s finest four-year-old and older trotting and pacing males and females in six standout divisions. Both trots are split into two divisions each. The $85,000 Pacing Classic has 10 starters while perhaps the most interesting test, the $85,000 Classic Distaff has the fewest contenders, seven game females.

Last April in Classic Series events, three world records and another track record were set at Dover Downs.

The Classic Distaff boasts an almost handicap lineup. It includes two U.S. Harness Writers Association Dan Patch winners, with the pair starting from the outside. Horse of the Year Rainbow Blue (Ron Pierce), owned by Teague Inc. and R&K Racing, also the Canadian O’Brien Award winner, drew post 6 and Dan Waxman’s last season Older Mare Pacer of the Year Loyal Opposition (George Brennan), already a sub-1:50 performer this season, leaves from the outside post 7. Other fast females in the lineup are Marvin Rounick’s Glowing Report (David Miller), a $1-million lifetime winner, and hard hitting Carolina Sunshine (Brian Sears), owned by Shari Watchman and Let It Ride Stables, who is nearing the $1-million mark.

Ten start in the Pacing Classic led by one of this seasons early stars and sub-1:50 performer Richard Banca’s Life Source (George Brennan), a career winner of $1.6-million with $163,875 already this season, Maltese Artist (Ron Pierce), winner of the recent $150,000 Isle of Capri at Pompano Park, for owners George Leon, John Howard and Jim Koran, and Basil Hanover (Brian Sears), owned by George Leon and David Rahal, race as an entry while M&M Harness Racing’s Ontario standout Casimir Camotion and Bendis, Castielli, Campbell and Varney’s Georgia Pacific, winner of the Matron Final last November are among the starters.

Don Boss Vita, owned by Alvin Beiler of Felton, Del., drew post 2 in one of two $60,000 Trotting Classic sections which are the daily double races. The six-year-old will face Berry Stable’s Argentine-bred world champion Chucaro Ahijuna (Kevin Wallis) and Goldberg and the Myers’ Canadian standout War Paint (John Campbell) among six starters. In the other set JM Vangogh, co-owned by Paul Chambers of Harrington, Del., former world champion Fool’s Goal (John Campbell), owned by Bruce McElven and Ron Allen and Mindee B and Allister Stables’ seasoned campaigner Elegant Man (Cat Manzi) head a sextet of combatants.

The most wide-open event is The Classic Distaff which split into two divisions. Only three of the starters are older than four, Lisa’s Laser and two that are no strangers to the fast Dover Downs ovals, Racsan Jenny and Sunday Yankee.

In one $60,000 division, Alvin Jacobson and Sid Korn’s Mystical Sunshine (Ron Pierce) is two-for-two racing at Dover Downs winning a Matron elim and final last November. Lisa’s Laser (Doug Snyder) is the most seasoned this year with six wins and three seconds in 11 races for Dean and Denny Miller. Tanah Merah Farm’s Illinois standout Fox Valley Flan (Andy Miller) won 12 of 15 races last season and $264,420 in purses.

In the other Classic Oaks field, Racsan Jenny is the lone two-race winner in the field of six. The five-year-old Program Speed mare owned by Don Hawk, John Hynansky and trainer Dan Warrington will be driven by Steve Warrington. Four of other starters were six-figure earners last season, Menhammer Stuteri’s In The Shell (Cat Manzi), won $181,552 of her $245,883 bankroll in 2004. Joie De Vie Farm’s Bliss (David Miller) was a big player in Ontario stakes a year ago winning $116,866.

The Classic Series is exclusively for four-year-olds and older trotter and pacers. Following Dover Downs’ opening leg, The Classic Series then moves to Woodbine Racecourse, Rexdale, Ont. for the second leg on June 4. The third and last preliminary takes place on July 23 at the Meadowlands, N.J. Classic Series participants must start in a minimum of two of the three preliminary legs – all at a mile distance – to be eligible for $250,000 finals. The Classic Series Finals are raced at a distance of 1-1/16th mile at The Meadowlands, Saturday, July 30th.

The Classic Series offers a $10,000 bonus to the trainer accumulating the highest point total through the series. Trond Smedshammer won the $10,000 bonus in 2004.

The Classic Series was founded as a major event for the sport’s older horses by the sport’s leading yearling sales companies: Standardbred Horse Sales Co., Hanover, Pa., Kentucky Standardbred Sales Co.,Lexington, Ky., Garden State Horse Sales Co. of New Jersey, Tattersalls Sales Co., Lexington, Ky., The Adios Sale, at the Meadows, SUNY Morrisville Sale at Morrisville, N.Y., Forest City Yearling Sale, Ont. Canada – and the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown.

Dr. J. Glen Brown, D.V.M. serves as Classic Series president with Nick Salvi as executive director.

Along with the six Classic Series events, two $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) finals, a $35,000 Preferred, $32,500 Delaware Special, $28,000 Open are on the 15-race card with a $40,000 Claiming pace the 15th race.

The Dover Downs 2004-05 live racing season comes to a close this Thursday, April 21. Tuesday through Thursday post time is 4:30 p.m. There is no charge for parking or admission. The Winner’s Circle Restaurant is sold out.