All This Snazz (5) and Vrahos Again (4) could not be separated by the camera

It also was trotting day for Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund sophomores, and in one of two $15,000 colt and gelding preliminaries Niss Allen, Inc.’s Vrahos Again, with Rod Allen driving, and Nanticoke Racing’s All This Snazz, in what was his first purse race start, and who was driven by Brandon Givens, finished in a dead heat for win, in 2:00¹.

They raced as a team for final last half-mile, with Vrahos Again on the inside and All This Snazz on his flank, and at the wire the photo finish camera could not separate them. At the head of the lane, Camp Commando came three-wide and raced alongside the battling leaders, but had to settle for third.

Overcompensate came on stronly in the final stages

The first Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund trot was a non-wagering race. Overcompensate stalked Circle M Paul and driver Bobby Myers until mid-stretch, overtook the leader, and scored a 2:04² victory for Tom Eichas, Jim Atwood, and co-owner and trainer Andy Markano.

Happy Commando (Cliff Green) broke stride on the backstretch, but still came storming home and finished third. Both colt and gelding winners were sired by CR Commando.

Westgate Alexis won for the eighth time in nine tries

Brandon Givens made it to the winner’s circle again when he drove the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund freshman final winner of last year, Westgate Alexis, Vicki Givens and Harvey Simpson’s daughter of CR Commando and Westgate Lady, to her eighth career win in nine starts, this on in her 2006 debut, in 2:03.

Jerry In Command challenged the winner after the half-mile pole and until the stretch, at which point Westgate Alexis pulled away. CU Bettor (Manley Brown), closed and nosed out Jerry In Command in their battle for second place.

Dover Downs photos

Ms Erica B broke her maiden in style on Thursday

In a second fllly trot, Vic Kirby won his second Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund race when he guided Ms Erica B, a CR Commando filly he owns with Erica Brittingham, to an easy, 2:02² win. Reloaded (Tim Curtin) closed well and finished second, in front of Sally Mail (Roger Plante).

The victory was the first for Ms Erica B, a granddaughter of the legendary Delaware mare Perfect Beauty.

The Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund races will move into their second and final preliminary rounds next week. Colt and gelding pacers take the spotlight on Tuesday, Sophomore filly pacers will tangle on Wednesday, and the trotters will return on Thursday. The top-eight in each division will qualify for the four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Finals, which will be raced on the meet’s closing day, April 13.

The Firecam gave Jim Morand a driving triple in a $14,000 pace for 4- and 5-year-olds, a 1:54⁴ triumph, in which Nights Echo (Herve Filion) finished second, just in front of Hidden Riches N (Steve Warrington).

Tony Morgan and Roger Plante both drove two winners on Thursday.

Dover Downs Update

Tony Morgan is only three wins from becoming the first driver to win 400 races at a single meet in Delaware harness racing history, and his 397 wins at the current stand is a record in the state. Thus, every win through April 13, the closing day at Dover Downs, adds on to his ongoing track record for dash wins at one meet. Morgan, who arrived at the track in early November, and won his first three races at the track, has grown at a rapid pace. The former track record was set only last years, when Brad Hanners drove 252 winners. Before that, Luc Ouellette had the record, at 247 wins.

Josh Green is also a new track record holder for most wins by a trainer at a single meet. Since the 37th opening day, this past October 31, Green has become the first trainer at a Delaware harness meet to condition more than 100 winners at one meet. He has sent out 103 winners. The old track record of 99 training wins was set two years ago by Kevin Lare.

Among all harness drivers in North America in 2006, Tony Morgan holds a substantial lead of 60 wins over his nearest competitor, and he has made 271 trips to the winner’s circle this year.

Through Thursday’s card, Morgan has posted 397 wins at the Dover Downs meet; defending champion Brad Hanners is second, with 184, former two-time track champion Jim Morand is third, with 145 winners, Ross Wolfenden is fourth, with 110 wins, and Brandon Givens completes the track’s top-five with 103 winning drives.

Josh Green has clinched his first track training championship, and has sent out 105 winners and the stand. Kevin Lare is second, with 62 winners, the Crissman brothers, Chuck with 60 wins and Tim at 55, are third and fourth, respectively, and Les Givens is fifth in the standings, with 46 wins.

George Teague, the co-owner and trainer of the 2004 Horse of the Year Rainbow Blue, reports that the 5-year-old mare will make her first qualifying race start very soon. She has come back well after she sustained a leg injury following four-consecutive wins, including a world record performance at Dover Downs last April 18, which was her final start of last year. Her 1:49⁴ performance was the first sub-1:50 mile ever paced by a 4-year-old mare in the sport’s history. Teague’s top 3-year-old pacers are on target to qualify, either in late April or early May.

Showdown time is coming for the naming of the 2005-2006 Dover Downs Horse of the Meet. Keystone Rodeo is a leading contender, having won seven Preferred pacing feature races, and he has also won the most purse money at the current meet; Keystone Rodeo has won $147,675 since opening day, October 31, 2005. Since January 1, the 6year-old pacer has won four times, to go with one second place finish, and has banked $79,025. In his career, Keystone Rodeo has earned $487,240.