by Marv Bachrad, Publicity Director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Major Uptrend scored in 1:49 to win the $27,500 Preferred Open feature at Dover Downs on Thursday (Feb. 15) while Tim Crissman posted three wins including his 1,500th. Tony Morgan drove four winners, two for owners Ness Allen.

Fotowon photo

Major Uptrend scores his second consecutive victory at Dover Downs.

For the second straight week, Major Uptrend, piloted by Tony Morgan, recorded a sub-150 victory, this time in 1:49 following last Thursday’s 1:49.4 success; both were in wire-to-wire fashion. The fast Sicily and Montrell Teague sat second the entire mile and could come no closer than three-quarters of a length at the line. Highalator, the only 4-year-old in the select field, with Roger Plante Jr. in the bike, came on to finish third

Major Uptrend’s win was the second in three 2018 starts for the Somebeachsomewhere-Tricky Tooshie gelding who now has three sub-1:50 triumphs at Dover since 2017 for owners Crissman and Ness Allen.

One race earlier, Morgan guided another Tim Crissman trainee, Mildred Ventriglio’s Kid Pk to a 1:50.3 triumph in a $14,000 Winners Over pace.The Wearable Art-Lightning D Dube gelding made it four wins in his last five races. Star Messenger (Art Stafford Jr.) was runner-up with Gerries Sport (Tim Tetrick) third.

Morgan also drove Niss Allen’s 7-1 Mississippi Rabbit, a Richess Hanover-Dixie Darlin gelding, along the passing lane to catch Cash Is King (Corey Callahan) in the final stride for a 1:52 victory going for $18,000 in a Winners pace. Rock The Town (Tetrick) took show honors.

Air Strike, an altered son of Always A Virgin-My Best Girl, got up for Corey Callahan in a $15,000 Winners event for trainer Joe Holloway and owners Ted Gewertz and Val D’Or Farms. American Sportsman (Mike Cole) and James Isaac (Morgan) finished second and third respectively.

Crissman conditioned three of the four horses Morgan drove to victory.

Tim Tetrick and Corey Callahan had driving doubles.

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