from Harness Publicists across North America

Monday’s (March 23) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs and Pompano Park.

Longshot Idle Hour captures Dover feature

Dover, DE — Longshot Idle Hour won the $40,000 Open/Preferred Handicap, while favorite Art Director took the $37,500 Delaware Special to top a powerhouse Monday card at Dover Downs. Ray’s Big Bubba, Everlasting Pride, Al Ibad Spider and Three Ten won the four Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) 3-year-old preliminaries.

Fotowon photo

Idle Hour held off George At Bigs by a neck to win the Dover feature.

In the $40,000 feature, Idle Hour stormed down the lane to reach the finish line first in 1:52.4, edging fast finishing George At Bigs with Corey Callahan, second, and Domitian Hanover with Eric Goodell, third, in a tight finish. Jim Morand drove the 12-1 shot for Top Notch Racing, Elite Racing and Teague Inc., registering his first win of the year. Race favorite I Ain’t No Fool (Tim Tetrick) was out of the money. Idle Hour, the only 4-year-old in the select field, is a son of Dragon Again-Lady Light and is trained by George Teague.

Kovach Stable’s Art Director, with Tim Tetrick driving, took no prisoners in winning the $37,500 Delaware Special Handicap. The Artiscape-Silken Satin 8-year-old was followed by Caerleon Hanover, racing second most of the way for Ron Pierce. Floyd Bromac N and Jon Roberts closed well for third.

Ray’s Big Bubba scored the most impressive victory in his $20,000 DSBF sophomore first leg pace. Ross Wolfenden took the Badlands Hanover-Miss Rae colt to the front early and kept extending the margin in a 1:52.2 score for Donna Rae Sullivan, Judith Leonard and Richards Stables. Scott Gregoire trains the winner of his first 3-year-old start and seventh in 11 lifetime outings. Prince Of Badlands (Eddie Davis, Jr.) was runner-up. Get Jazzed (Jeff Fout) was the show finisher.

PT Stable’s Al Ibad Spider sat second for Eric Goodell until turning for home, where the Badlands Hanover-Ali Shyba gelding roared past prohibitive favorite Zee Barber (Jim Morand) for a 1:53.1 victory. Sgt Charlie (Corey Callahan) was third.

A pair of sons of Three Olives took the other DSBF $20,000 prelims. Barbara Gannon’s Everlasting Pride notched a decisive 1:54.3 win, besting race favorite Mr Wiggles (Callahan) with Badlands Pete (Tony Morgan) the third horse. The victory keeps the Three Olives-Ladyshooter gelding unbeaten in 2009 with his fourth straight win and seventh win in eight lifetime races.

Joe Eisenhower’s Three Ten, a Three Olives-Future Forecast colt, teamed with Ron Pierce for a 1:55.4 victory in the other DSBF prelim. Royal Camelot (Bret Brittingham) was next in front of favorite Bad Boy Named Sue (Davis Jr.).

The second leg of the DSBF colt prelims are set for next Monday, March 30.

— Marv Bachrad

Too Salty wins Open Trot at Isle Pompano Park

Pompano Beach, FL — Too Salty ($14.80) proved to be at his best at the Isle Pompano Park on Monday, taking it to race favorite Slave Dream in capturing the $16,000 Open Handicap Trot in 1:55.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Too Salty and driver Joe Pavia, Jr. captured the $16,000 Open Trot in a lifetime best 1:55.

The feature race started off with Keystone Empire (Wally Hennessey) shooting to the early lead from post five and cutting the mile to the opening quarter in :27.3 with O-Georgie (Bruce Ranger) right on their back.

Past the half-mile marker in :56, Hennessey had control of the race with Keystone Empire as O-Georgie then pulled the pocket just as Slave Dream (David Ingraham) started up first-over. That forced Slave Dream to try and sweep three-wide and Too Salty and driver Joe Pavia, Jr. took advantage of that live cover and also went three-wide around the final turn.

As the field started down the stretch, Slave Dream held a one length lead as Keystone Empire went off-stride, but Slave Dream’s lead was short lived as Pavia urged Too Salty on and they pulled away to a three-quarter length victory. Farmer Jones (Kevin Wallis) closed well to be second as Slave Dream faded to third place.

It was the second straight win this year and a lifetime mark for Too Salty, a 5-year-old gelding by SJ’s Caviar. Doug Miller trains and co-owns Too Salty with William Waver, III.

— Steve Wolf