by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Mustang Art, overlooked at 33-1 odds, enjoyed a perfect trip to post a 1:51 success in the $28,500 Delaware Special Handicap Pace at Dover Downs on Monday (Jan. 4).

Starting from the second tier in the Monday feature, Mustang Art, reined by Brett Miller, found room deep in the lane to score a 1:51 victory for trainer Jim McGuire and owners Max Walton and Greg Papaleo. The Artscape-Paula Seelster 9-year-old gelding beat fast-finishing Captive Audience (Corey Callahan) and Bad Boy Matt (Allan Davis) to the finish line and paid $68.40 for a $2 win ticket setting up a $301.60 exacta and $1,173.60 trifecta. The victory was the 40th lifetime for Mustang Art who now has won $665,822 in his career.

Frank Chick’s 20-1 shot, Totally Dreamy, overtook race favorite Ata Boy Bones (Art Stafford Jr.) in deep stretch for a 1:54 triumph in a $15,500 pace for 4- and 5-year-olds. Rip N Rock (Vic Kirby) finished third. George Dennis was the winning driver for his third win on the card. Kevin Lare trains the If I Can Dream-Almost Vital gelding who won for the second consecutive start.

Yannick Gingras returned to the winner’s circle by piloting Class Six to a wire-to-wire, 1:53.1 score in a $15,000 4- and 5-year-old male pace for Weaver Bruscemi and Burke Racing Stable. It was the Western Ideal-Can Du River gelding’s sixth win in his last seven efforts. Provenance (Callahan) was second best with Apollo Seelster (Jonathan Roberts) third. The race ended a three-race win streak for Blazing Bobby Sox (Art Stafford Jr.) who was parked out most of the race.

Papa Ray, handled by Allan Davis, outdueled Laughing Matters (Callahan) to notch a 1:51.2 victory in a $14,500 Male Winners Over Pace. Davis was content to wait as others battled early before moving up to challenge. Wayne Givens trains the Village Jolt-Liamatters 7-year-old for Reg Hazzard and Legacy Racing. Papa Ray has now won 28 times in his career, banking $457,208 lifetime.

Drivers George Dennis, Corey Callahan and Yannick Gingras, along with trainer Dylan Davis, had three winners each. Vic Kirby and trainer Jim King had doubles.