Dover, DE — Sprocket ($6.80) won his third race in a row on Thursday (Feb. 17), outlasting a late charge from Penzance Hanover to capture the $27,500 Blue Hen/Open Handicap Pace at Dover Downs.

Sprocket won on the rise to Open company, holding sway to the end of a 1:50 mile. Fotowon photo.

A week after equaling the Dover track record for older pacing geldings with a 1:48.2 performance, Sprocket and driver Pat Berry launched from post eight but they were parked three-wide into the first turn by Penzance Hanover and Movin’ On Up, both of whom yielded for stalking positions through a :27 first quarter. Sprocket rated a :55.4 half before blitzing a :25.4 wind-aided third quarter up the backstretch. In the stretch, Sprocket became leg weary, but he prevailed by a diminishing neck in 1:50. Penzance Hanover (Art Stafford Jr.) lunged from the pocket to just miss; Movin’ On Up (Tim Tetrick) was third, just a half length behind.

Traci Berry trains Sprocket, a 7-year-old Sportswriter gelding, for Edwin Gannon Jr.

Pat Berry and Tim Tetrick led all drivers with three wins on the 13-race card.

Racing at Dover Downs resumes on Monday (Feb. 21) with a $14,668 pentafecta carryover in the last race. First post is 4:30 p.m.