Shark Sation wins the Preferred Handicap pace at Dover

by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Shark Sation streaked three-wide around the final turn and scored a 1:523 victory in the $27,500 Preferred Handicap pace and Fox Valley Michael went down the pike in a 1:534 $25,000 Delaware Special at Dover Downs on Monday, January 12. Driver Jim Morand, who finished with five wins on the card and trainer Josh Green won four races.

Shark Sation (Dover Photo)

Shark Sation and George Dennis prevailed in a hotly contested mile

Racsan Nuke (Steve Warrington) took the early lead and then battled after the half-mile pole with Beecher Park (Mark A. King). The seven starters were stacked three- and four-wide as they entered the stretch, but Shark Sation, piloted by George Dennis, moved fastest of all on the way to the wire, which was reached in 1:523. Five Card Cam (Jim Morand) closed in the passing lane and got to the finish line just ahead of the strong-finishing Soho (Kevin Sizer) who had come flying down the lane after having been last earlier in the mile.

The victory raised Shark Sation’s lifetime earnings to $381,046 for breeder and owner Forrest Bartlett.

Fox Valley Michael (Dover Photo)

Dover Downs photos

Fox Valley Michael and Jim Morand provided Jim Morand with one of his wins on Monday

Morand took Fox Valley Michael, who he owns with trainer Josh Green, right to the front after a :263 opening quaqrter-mile and then beat off a challenge from Crew Cut Zach (Brad Hanners) joined after the half-mile and lasting until deep stretch, en route to a 1:534 triumph in a $25,000 Delaware Special. The Devil Himself (Travis Bowman) found room in the passing lane and nipped Crew Cut Zach for second money.

The Morand-driving and Green-training collaboration also made it to the winner’s circle three other times: Jamin James, owned by Morand, won a $12,000 conditioned pace in 1:533 and held off the fast finishing Rapid Jate (Brad Hanners) and Franco New Deal N (Ross Wolfenden); Tom Weber’s Were In Luck peeled off of the pack and won a $20,000 claiming pace in 1:55 and caught Comic Song N (Kevin Sizer) in the finals strides; and Lar’s Legacy, owned by Dean Davis and Jim Snyder, fashioned a 1:54 victory and won a $30,000 claiming pace to start a consecutive race four-bagger.

Earlier, Morand began his five win night by driving Jeffrey Franklin’s Mighty Lord N to a 1:554 victory in a $25,000 claiming allowance. Cams First Day (Eddie Davis) was the place horse and Vasgo Da Gama A (Ross Wolfenden) finished third.

Morand now has 77 wins at this meet and trails the leading dashwinner, Brad Hanners, by three wins. Green extended his meet-leading total to 40 victories, 16 more than the current runner-up and defending champion, Kevin Lare, and Chuck Crissman, who each have 24 wins.

In a $17,500 winners-over pace, Roger Plante steered Max Walton’s Clean Sweep to a 1:53 victory. It was Plante’s second win of the day. The Karen Crothers trainee has now won two of his last three and four of his last six races. Black Cam N (Ricky Still) finished second and the Cammissioner (Jim Morand) finished third.

Arty Foster’s Bolero Hanover made it two wins in a row when Steve Warrington waited until late and then blew past eight rivals in a 1:533 victory in a $15,500 Delaware winners-over pace. Melt Down (George Dennis) finished next and Cornas (Jim King, Jr.) took the show money.

El Lobo’s No Option made good use of post one and notched a 1:541 win, his second in a row, and won a $30,000 claiming pace. Extra Fine Cam (Billy Mann) and Space Racer (Ricky Still) finished second and third, respectively.

West Point came on strongly in the stretch and won in 1:55 in a $25,000 claiming pace. Hal Belote drove the winner for Griffin Conley, Inc. and caught BJ’s Breeze (George Dennis) in the deep stretch. Moon Sign (Eddie Davis) finished third.

Steve Warrington guided Rainmaker Hanover, owned by Don Hawk, John Hynansky, and trainer Dan Warrington, to a 1:554 win in another $25,000 claiming pace. Red Ball Express (Brad Hanners) finished as the runner up and Magic Force (Eddie Davis, Jr.) finished third.

Keystone Reggie, owned, trained, and driven by David Hill, came on with a rush and scored a 1:55 win in a $20,000 claiming pace. Hello Newman (Hal Belote) finished second and Direct Strike A (Eddie Davis) finished third.

Saturday and Sunday racing at Dover Downs starts at 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday post time is 4:30. There is no live racing on Fridays and this is never a charge for parking or admission. Reservations are suggested for the Winner’s Circle Restaurant and the four star Dover Downs Hotel. Call (302) 674-4600, ext. 3773.

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