by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Tony Morgan, the current leading dash-win driver in the sport, and Tim Tetrick, the leading money winning driver this season, lead a strong contingent of many of the sport’s leading drivers on the Dover Downs 2008-09 roster.

Morgan and the track and sport’s 2007 champion Tim Tetrick, are at the top of this season’s driver win standings. Morgan is the leader with Tetrick second. Last season, for the second time in three meets, Morgan, who was the sport’s leading driver in 2006 for the third time in his career, led the Dover Downs win parade with Tetrick a strong second.

Tony Morgan

Last meet Morgan led all drivers at the track by winning 332 races. Tetrick was second with 213 wins. Corey Callahan, who came on strongly, enjoying his finest season ever, finished third with 182 victories. Former track champ Jim Morand was fourth with 153 winners while Ross Wolfenden, the only other driver to reach three digits during the meet, was fifth with 112 wins.

Other popular regulars during the meet will be Brandon Givens, Eddie Davis, Jr., Roger Plante, George Dennis, Vic Kirby, Jonathan Roberts and Tim Curtin, all returning veteran drivers. Two new faces join the lineup in Vince Copeland, a Michigan expatriate, and Tom Jackson, a veteran Maryland and Pennsylvania leader.

Other familiar drivers that will be prominent during the meet, particularly in early week races, are Hall of Famers Ron Pierce and Cat Manzi along with Brian Sears and Eric Goodell.

Dover Downs photos

Josh Green

There is a high power roster of top trainers at the track led by Josh Green, who won the Leading Trainer award for the third consecutive meet. Green, one of the leaders in the sport, haltered 101 winners, the second highest one-season total in track history. The previous season, Green shared the trainer’s crown with Chuck Crissman, as each conditioned 90 winners. Green set the track’s all-time single-season record in 2005-06, making the winner’s circle 113 times.

During the 2007-08 meet, Tim Crissman finished a strong second with 75 wins. Dylan Davis vaulted into third-place in the standings with 61 wins. Joe Hundertpfund took fourth place with 46 wins while Nick Callahan and Wayne Givens tied for fifth with 40 winners each.

Bobby Clark, Les Givens, Wayne Givens, Kevin Lare, John Cabot, Doug Lewis, Toby Lynch, Jeff Clark and Ben Stafford, Jr. are among other successful trainers with impressive stables.

Opening day is this Sunday, Oct. 26, for a 132-day meet. First post is 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Monday through Thursday racing begins at 4:30 p.m.

As usual, the first two months of the meet feature a lucrative stakes filled program headlined by the 13th Progress Pace, the Matron Stakes and the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund races.