by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Soto won the $30,000 Preferred Handicap, Rockinonby took the $21,000 Open, while Mustang Art won his second in a row in the top three races on the Thursday (Jan. 26) card at Dover Downs.

For the second straight day, Art Stafford Jr. drove the winner of the feature race on the card. This time Soto, who drew the rail, took command at the start and never looked back in a decisive victory. For the second time, Sweet Rock and Allan Davis were the runners-up, with veteran Clear Vision driven by Yannick Gingras third.

The Soto win for the brown son of Rock N Roll Heaven-Incredible Beauty was his second in three races for trainer Eric Ell and Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta, who also owned the Wednesday feature winner Celebrity Pegasus.

Tony Morgan used the passing lane in driving Rockinonby to a 1:51.2 triumph in the $21,000 Open Pace. Niss Allen Inc. owns the Rockin Image-Stan’s Ann gelding. Cajon Lightning (Jonathan Roberts) was second with Screaman Seaman (Vic Kirby) third.

Mustang Art made it two in a row, posting a 1:52 victory in one of two $15,500 male paces. Vic Kirby guided the 10-year-old Artiscape-Paula Seelster gelding to his 46th lifetime win while earning $810,422. The sport’s richest Standardbred, Foiled Again (Gingras), finished second in front of Star Messenger (Morgan).

Gingras came right back to pick up his third win by guiding Bad Gamer, a 4-year-old son of Badlands Hanover-Kattimon whom he owns with trainer Ed Gannon and Frank Canzone and Bob Sabatini, to a 1:52 triumph in another $15,500 male pace. Caviart Skyler (Montrell Teague) and All The Cookies (Tyler Davis) were second and third, respectively.

In a third $15,500 event for young male pacers, 13-1 shot JW Renegade got up at the wire to catch Fashionbythebeach in the last step in 1:52.4. John MacKinnon drove the winner for his father Russ MacKinnon. JW Renegade is a 4-year-old by Pacific Renegade-Honey who was winning for the first time in 2017. Suchasensenceofhumor (Jim Morand) was the show horse.

Yannick Gingras won three races, while Corey Callahan, Art Stafford Jr., trainer Eric Ell and owner-trainer Dylan Davis had two wins each.