by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Mustang Art scored a 1:51 victory in the $30,000 Delaware Special and Artstanding blew away the opposition to win his sixth consecutive start to highlight Thursday, March 7 racing at Dover Downs.

Fotowon photo

Mustang Art won Thursday’s Delaware Special at Dover Downs in 1:51 with driver Ron Pierce.

On another windy day, Mustang Art and Ron Pierce returned to the winners circle for the first time since mid-January fashioning a 1:51 victory in the Del. Special for trainer Jim McGuire and owners Max Walton and Greg Papaleo.

The Artiscape-Paula Seelster gelding took full advantage of post 1 besting Rusty’s All In and Corey Callahan, second, and Fancyfreeshark with Jon Roberts, third. Mustang Art built his 2013 record to two-wins, two-seconds and a third in 10 starts earing $54,950 this year and $306,992 lifetime.

A pair of winning-focused claiming pacers continued to impress. Artstanding, a 10-year-old son of Artsplace-Jasmine Hanover rattled off his sixth consecutive victory easily in a $25,000 Claiming pace, besting seven rivals equaling his lifetime best, 1:50.4 set only a month ago. Jim Switlyk claimed Artstanding in mid-February and the Mike Hall trained horse won for the second time. Hasty Western (Allan Davis) was next with Fissato (George Dennis), third. A stakes-seasoned juvenile, Artstanding has only raced 57 times, with 16-wins, 13-seconds and eight-thirds good for $699,227 earnings of which $42,346 has come this year.

Earlier in the program, Lislea Miles with North American and track leading driver Corey Callahan in the bike recorded his eighth straight victory, all this year, to win a Delaware $7,500 Male Claiming pace. It was the second win for owner Dave Timmons who claimed the Lislea-L’etoile gelding last month. No stranger to the winner’s circle, Lislea Miles has now won $532,223 lifetime.