Dover, DE — Libra Vita won for the fourth time in his last five outings, scoring a 1:56.2 victory in the $26,000 Open Trot on a chilly Wednesday at Dover Downs.

Fotowon photo

Libra Vita was a 1:56.2 winner in the Open Trot.

Corey Callahan took Libra Vita three wide in mid-backstretch to challenge leader Victors Vicky at the three-quarters and then shot away for an impressive two length victory in the week’s top trot. Last week’s winner Starsel finished second for Daryl Bier while Nordic Venture recovered from a break in stride early to close strongly for Vince Copeland and finish third.

The only blemish on the Striking Sahbra-Balanced Scale gelding’s past performances in his last five races was a strong finishing second last Wednesday. Dylan Davis conditions the 6-year-old for Howard Taylor and Tom Lazzaro. Libra Vita has now won seven races and $102,230 this season.

Matt Kakaley drove Second Hand News past leader Nannina (Brad Hanners) as they completed the turn for home and the Pathway To Victory-Mohawk Super Night gelding led the way to a 1:57 finish to win his third straight, taking the $23,000 Jr. Open Trot. Perfect Man (Vic Kirby) closed to finish second with Batalj Launcher (Ron Pierce) the show horse.

— Marv Bachrad

Monticello Raceway
On Wednesday afternoon at Monticello Raceway, Sophisticat was gunning for her 18th seasonal victory but Austin’s Jon Jon derailed her. Sophisticat, whose 17 seasonal triumphs leads all trotters in North America, led the field to the halfway point in the weekly trotting feature with Bruce Aldrich, Jr. at the controls. However, as the field straightened in the backside the second time around Sophisticat yielded to a charging Austin’s Jon Jon and driver Brad Kramer who not only circled her but went on to open up daylight on the field. When they trotted around the final turn the Brad Kramer-driven trotter was five lengths in front and at the wire the 5-year-old Giant Hit gelding was a seven length winner in a 2:01.3 clocking on a very cold day in the Catskill Mountains. Sophisticat held on for second place while My Buddy Chimo and driver Kevin Hough took home the show dough. Austin’s Jon Jon, owned by Daniel Henry, Sr. of Gardiner, N.Y., scored his fourth victory of the season and returned a whopping $39.00 for win.