Dover, DE — Harlingen Hanover zoomed from far back at 17-1 to win the $35,000 Preferred Handicap Pace and Roy Orbisong ground out a 6-1 surprise in the $32,500 Delaware Special, the Monday twin-features at Dover Downs.

Fotowon photo

Harlingen Hanover was a 17-1 winner in the Preferred Handicap Pace.

Roger Plante raced Harlingen Hanover from off the pace as race favorite Schoolkids and Ron Pierce were shoved three wide on the clubhouse turn. With the front horses battling in the stretch, Harlingen Hanover swept past them on the way to a two length victory in 1:51.1, a lifetime fastest for the 4-year-old gelding by Badlands Hanover-Hermosa Hanover.

The winner is owned by Jim Behrendt and posted his seventh win of the year, boosting his seasonal earnings to $131,135. Booze Cruisin closed along the inside to finish second with Tim Tetrick driving and Jeremy’s Successor with Sean Bier was a close-up third.

While Barber Pole (Montrell Teague) cut out the early fractions, owner-trainer-driver Daryl Bier moved Roy Orbisong from fifth on the clubhouse turn and proceeded up on the outside to challenge for the lead as the timer flashed 1:23.1 for three quarters. The Ft Apache Hanover-Camtune gelding then took the lead and opened up a big margin on the way to the wire in 1:51.4. Another longshot, 40-1 Fields Of Honour A (Brad Hanners), hustled home to finish second in front of Astounding Hanover (Tim Tetrick). The win was the eighth of 2010 for Roy Orbisong, a 5-year-old who is now a winner of $141,240 this season.

— Marv Bachrad

The Meadows
Dark Lightning, a mid-range claimer earlier this year, completed his ascent to the top when he captured Monday’s $22,500 Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows. Although Dark Lightning rose steadily through the ranks for trainer Paul Kennedy, success in the Preferred Handicap eluded him until Monday. He made a quarter-pole move to the lead for Eric Ledford, backed down the field in a :29 second panel and sprinted home to score easily in 1:53. When Jojo N Goliath rallied for second, 2-1/4 lengths back, he gave Kennedy an exacta sweep. Johnny Z completed the trifecta. E.J. Underwood III, Kyle Underwood and Kennedy own Dark Lightning, a 5-year-old Spy Hard-Hickory Lil Towner gelding. Dave Palone drove five winners and Brett Miller and Brian Zendt three apiece on the 15-race card while Ron Burke and Bill Zendt enjoyed training triples.