by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — It was deja’ vu in the $20,000 Mares Jr. Open Pace on Tuesday, March 28 when Humminbird N overtook Yada Yada Yada A in deep stretch to win the feature race at Dover Downs. He’s Personal and Badlands Come Home won Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund opening divisions. Tony Morgan and Ross Wolfenden had driving triples.

Humminbird N was a winner in the $20,000 feature on Tuesday.

Humminbird N caught Yada Yada Yada in deep stretch to win the $20,000 feature in carbon copy manner, duplicating her victory the week before. Ross Wolfenden, driving the New Zealand six-year-old, stalked the Jim Morand-driven Yada Yada Yada A from the start and had to make up two lengths at the top of the lane. Owned by Tim Hundertpfund and Joe Colosi, Humminbird N came along the passing lane to notch a 1:52.3 triumph, her third of the year in 11 starts. Tawny closed for Brad Hanners to take third. The win was one of three for Wolfenden.

He’s Personal holds off Badlands And Art in their DSBF preliminary.

The DSBF three-year-old colt and gelding $15,000 prelims got off to a start and both divisions were clocked in 1:54.1. Les Walls and Jack Upchurch’s He’s Personal picked right up where he left off last December (winning the $100,000 freshman final), as Jim Morand took the Badlands Hanover gelding to the top early and then shook off a determined bid from Badlands And Art, driven by Ben Stafford, Jr., to score the first division victory. Tandar Hanover (Art Stafford, Jr.) finished third.

Fotowon Photos

Badlands Come Home and Tony Morgan were alone at the wire in their DSBF split.

Lloyd Arnold’s Badlands Come Home was equally as impressive in his $15,000 section. Tony Morgan was fastest away from the starting gate and led throughout the mile. Lather Machine, with Eddie Davis, Jr. at the controls, came at the leader on the backstretch and continued to challenge until reaching the homestretch where Badlands Come Home opened up for the win. Lather Machine was second best.

DSBF events continue with sophomore filly pacers meeting on Wednesday and trotters on Thursday. The second round of the male pacing division is set for next Tuesday. All four DSBF finals carry $100,000 purses and will be raced on the meet’s closing day, April 13.

Steve Warrington took control early driving Amy Warrington’s Isn’t She Fancy and the Grinfromeartoear five-year-old disposed of eight rivals in 1:54.4 to win the $15,500 Mares Pace. SF Misty (Tim Curtin) took place honors with She’s A Blast (Jim Morand) third.

Donavan’s Reef, owned by Ken Wright and Del Richards, Jr., won a $13,100 Delaware Pace with Tim Curtin driving the 1:56.1 win. Yetty (Vic Kirby) closed strongly to finish second. Solid Hanover (Wayne Truitt) took third.

Dane Acres’ This Marks A Lady, with Eddie Davis, Jr., held off Jay Low (Ross Wolfenden) in the stretch to score a 1:54.3 win in the first $11,000 Mares Pace. Nairobi Hanover (Jim King) took the show spot.

Dance Hall gave Steve Warrington a driving double, winning the $11,000 Mares Pace on the engine in 1:52.2. Don Hawk, John Hynansky and trainer Dan Warrington own the four-year-old daughter of Blissfull Hall, who won her third in a row. Bluebird Wanda (Tim Curtin) was second and Evere’s Connection (Eddie Davis, Jr.) finished third.

Willow Mill Stables’ No Bouquet was North America’s leading driver Tony Morgan’s third win. The No Nukes five-year-old paced her mile in 1:54.2 to win the $10,700 Mares Pace. Ezy Dell N (Brad Hanners) was next in front of Mia’s Ball Of Joy (Eddie Davis).

Delaware-sired Stop The Whistling made his first start for new owners Karen Weintraub, Ellen Hauer and trainer Adrian Wisher a winning one as Ross Wolfenden steered the Tulsa Blue Chip gelding home in 1:55.3. Odds-on favorite Deliver-The-Bags (Jim King) finished second, absorbing his first career loss after two wins. Sprint (Shane Long) closed to finish third.

In the $13,000 featured trot, William Moffett Inc.’s D’amico Cucina has returned to top form. Ross Wolfenden took the seven-year-old Pine Chip horse right to the top and proved the best in 1:56.3 to win his second in a row. Mr Performer (Art Stafford, Jr.) finished second. Johnny Peanuts (Carlo Poliseno) closed along the pylons to finish third.

Broke As Usual A to go for a third-straight wins

A $27,000 Open Handicap trot and a $21,000 Junior Open trot will head a strong overnight program, but the accent will be on sophomore fillies, who will race in Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund first round preliminaries on Wednesday, March 29 at Dover Downs, where racing will start at 4:30 p.m. (EST).

For the second-straight week, driver Tony Morgan drove Broke As Usual A from far back and won the featured overnight trot of the week for trainer Tim Crissman and owners Paul McDougall and W.J. McDougall Racing. Dan and Tom Courtemanche’s steady Jake’s Nordic and driver Tim Curtin closed and finished within a neck of the winner, and George and Marjorie Shubley’s Sullivan Blue Chip, teamed with Mark Gingrich, finished third. Mighty Moses, owned Betsy and Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar, and Steve Iaquinta, should improve, having drawn a much better post position this week.

The high-powered Solveig, a 4-year-old mare and the only distaffer in the field, drew post position one for owners Christina Takter, John Fielding, Fred Hertrich, and the Anderberg Stable; she has posted one win and two seconds in four local starts for trainer-driver Jimmy Takter. Coerfurst, with Brad Hanners to drive, drew his best post position this year, and will start from post two. Scott Dillon’s Highway Hanover, with Eddie Davis Jr. named to drive, will step up after an impressive win last week at the Junior Open level. Doris Marine’s greatly improved Saint Nicklaus, to be piloted by Hal Belote, and Three Point Acres’ Musclesextrodinair (Ross Wolfenden) can not be overlooked in the nine-horse starting lineup.

Max Walton’s ultra-consistent Bullville Sue, a 6-year-old gelding to be reined by Tim Curtin, has posted three straight second place finishes, preceded by a pair of thirds, and has not won since early February; he will be the likely favorite in a $21,000 Junior Open trot. The Toby Lynch owned and driven Put Tem On Hold will make his first Junior Open appearance after two-straight wins.

Art Stafford, Sr.’s Vicki Gram (Art Stafford, Jr.), Tamara Williams’ Nonna’s Treasure (Ross Wolfenden), Med Davis’ Willie T (Eddie Davis, Jr.), Preston Walls’ Indiancamp Pa (Vic Kirby), Brian Callahan’s John R Yankee (Jim Morand), Crystal Ball Stables’ Notorious Buck (Brad Hanners), who will start from the rail, and RC Destiny, owned, trained, and to be driven by Tony Poliseno, are other contenders.

Two solid $15,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund first round preliminary divisions for 3-year-old filly pacers will be on the card. In the first, William Moffett, Inc.’s Staying Power (Tony Morgan) and Andrew and Shannon Stafford and Jim Scholtzhauer’s Anastasia Hanover (Wayne Long) are both fresh from wins last time out. Tony Cotroneo, who owns and raced Tune Town, will start City Tune (Eddie Davis, Jr.), who has posted one win and one second in his two starts this year, and both the fast Sixteen Candles (Bob Kinsey, Sr.), owned by Louise Kinsey and William Oberle, and Lester Walls and Jack Upchurch’s Winbak Zoom (Jim Morand) are seasoned performers in the field of eight starters.

The Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund second section will be led by Rodney Wyatt’s fast homebred, Ireneonthemove (Tony Morgan); Badlands Iron Lady (Jim Morand), owned by Only Money, Inc., a winner of her last three in a row; and the well-qualified Badland’s Legacy (Mark Gingrich), who races for Bill Lancaster, Neal Rosenberg, and Margery Ames. They will be joined by Art and Andrew Stafford’s Bamba Hanover (Art Stafford, Jr.), George Hobbs’ Benear (Eddie Dennis), owner-driver Ben Stafford, Jr.’s Winbak Transfer in the field.

A second Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund preliminary round will be raced next Wednesday, and the top-eight horses in the series will advance to the $100,000 final, which will be raced on the meet’s closing day, April 13.

Saturday and Sunday racing begins at 5:30 p.m. and Monday through Thursday post time is 4:30 p.m. There is no charge for admission or parking. Reservations are suggested for the Winner’s Circle Restaurant. Call (302) 674-4600.