from Harness Publicists across North America

Monday’s (December 29) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Dover Downs, The Meadows, and Pompano Park.

Art Director paints a winning picture at Dover

Dover, DE — Art Director closed with a rush to win the $32,500 Delaware Special Pace, the second of three wins for driver Corey Callahan, on Monday at Dover Downs.

It was a big night for drivers on the 15-race card. Callahan, Ron Pierce, Mike Cole and Tony Morgan each had three wins.

Fotowon photo

Corey Callahan piloted Art Director to the winner’s circle in the Delaware Special Pace.

With only a couple of seconds to highlight his previous six starts, Art Director rolled out of third with Callahan and overtook front-pacing Immortal Quest N (Eddie Davis, Jr.) in deep stretch to post his first win since late October in 1:51.2. Owned by Kovach Stables, the Bobby Clarke trainee, a 7-year-old son of Artiscape-Silky Satin, won for the eighth time this year, raising his seasonal earnings to $216,750. Hot N Sporty (Tony Morgan) took third place honors.

Two races later, Callahan drove 8-1 White Hot Cards to a 1:51.2 victory in the $26,000 Open, grinding down early leader Haverford Hanover (Pierce) in a duel starting after the three-quarters. Ken Wood, Steve Iaquinta and Bill Dittmar own the winner, who is trained by Eric Ell. Now a winner of six races in 2008, the Cam’s Card Shark-White Hot Hanover 5-year-old has banked $128,390 this campaign.

Jeff Bartels’ Kelly’s Spur came down the Dover Driveway to score a 1:53 win in a $23,000 Winners Over Pace. Ross Wolfenden steered the Sharky Spur-Keystone Ritz gelding to his second win in a row for trainer Eli Scott. Eagle Real One (Pierce) took second with Prince Of Luck (Brandon Givens) a strong third.

— Marv Bachard

Afternoon Dreams scores with dream afternoon trip

Meadow Lands, PA — Afternoon Dreams enjoyed a dream Monday afternoon journey, using a pocket trip to capture the $25,000 Filly & Mare Preferred Handicap Trot at The Meadows.

With Whotookwhat committed to the lead, Ed Hensley settled Afternoon Dreams into the pocket. The 3-year-old daughter of Dream Vacation-Form Fitting exploded in the stretch, drawing off to score in 1:56.4, a career best. Whotookwhat was two lengths back in second, with That Flyn Angel third.

Ron Burke trains Afternoon Dreams for Sylvia Burke, Randy Ringer, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables. Unraced at 2, Afternoon Dreams has won 13 of her 17 starts.

Brett Miller drove four winners on the 15-race card.

— Evan Pattak

Karpathos wires field in Pompano Open

Pompano Beach, FL — Karpathos ($6.20) trotted to his ninth win of the season with driver Joe Pavia, Jr. at the lines on Monday night in the $16,000 Open Handicap Trot at the Isle Pompano Park.

Lap Time Photo – Skip Smith

Karpathos and driver Joe Pavia, Jr. went wire-to-wire in Pompano’s featured trot in 1:54.3.

Pavia charged Karpathos to the early lead from post five to set fractions of :28.2, :58 and 1:26 en route to a wire-to-wire victory in a career best 1:54.3. Guy Gets Girl (Bruce Ranger) finished second with Duke Of Stormont (Wally Ross, Jr.) finishing third.

The winner, a 7-year-old Balanced Image gelding, has bankrolled over $232,000 lifetime for trainer-owner Geoff Howles.

Joe Pavia also won the sixth race with Doc’s Lenny in 1:55.4. It was the seventh lifetime start and first pari-mutuel win for the 2-year-old Doctor Of Style gelding trained by Bud Foster and owned by the Ellacott Shaker Mtrs., Inc.

Trainer Bill Gallagher was three for three on Monday night. The first win was by the 4-year-old trotter Blessed Victory (Dan Clements) in 1:57.1 for owner Victoria Jackson-Carinda and leased by Gallagher. The 6-year-old trotter Cisco Hall (Dan Clements)won the fifth race in 1:56 for owner Joseph Chnapko, who also owns the millionaire trotter, 8-year-old Hellava Hush (Richard Simard), who won in 1:56.1 in the tenth race.

— Debbie Schaut