Penzance Hanover repeats at Bally’s Dover

Dover, DE — Following a powerful 1:51.3 win last week, Art Stafford Jr.’s Penzance Hanover outdid himself in Thursday’s (Jan. 26) $27,500 Blue Hen/Open Handicap Pace at Bally’s Dover, prevailing as the 2-1 favorite in 1:51.1 to notch back-to-back wins in the First State’s top class.

Penzance Hanover, also trained and driven by Stafford, floated forward off the gate but yielded to Grand Cayman, who sprinted to the early lead from post seven. After remaining in the two-path on the first turn, Penzance Hanover rushed from third to take the top spot at the end of a :27.1 first quarter. Once in control, Stafford throttled the speed of Penzance Hanover and backed the half to :56. The 9-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding extended his lead to as many as three lengths after hitting three-quarters in 1:23.3, and he used :27.3 closing speed to evade pocket rival Grand Cayman (driven by George Napolitano Jr.) by 1-1/4 lengths. Backstreet Shadow (Tim Tetrick) rallied off the stalled cover of Heinikin Bythebay to finish third.

Penzance Hanover seized control early and coasted to his second consecutive top-class win, taking Thursday’s Blue Hen/Open Handicap Pace at Bally’s Dover. Fotowon photo.

Penzance Hanover, now a 34-time winner, has taken three of his four starts in 2023, all in Blue Hen/Open events at Dover. He paid $6.00 to win.

Live racing returns to Bally’s Dover on Monday (Jan. 30); post time is 4:30 p.m.

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