DOVER, Del.— When Dover Downs opens for its 48th season on Oct. 31, Halloween day, the following day begins the track's 'Novemberfest of Harness Racing', a month long parade of outstanding stakes races.
The track's signature event is the 20th renewal of the $350,000-estimated Progress Pace recently renamed the Hap Hansen Progress Pace, to honor one of the sports and Delaware's most renown administrators, W.E.Hap Hansen.
The rich Matron Stakes, the sport's longest continual championship series, leads off the Grand Circuit's treasured events with all four Matron Finals for two-year-old colt and filly colts and fillies on the Thursday, Nov. 3 program. The following Thursday, Nov. 10 all four lucrative trots and paces for three-year-olds are featured.
The $350,000 (est.) Hap Hansen Progress Pace begins with $35,000 elimination divisions on Monday, Nov. 21 and culminates in a rich final the following, Monday, Nov. 28 with a $25,000 consolation scheduled on the program.
the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) stakes for two-year-old filly and colt pacers and trotters will join the Dover Downs 2016 stakes parade during November. The first of two DSBF $20,000 1st-leg preliminary legs begin on Thursday, Nov. 3. Second leg events are scheduled to follow. The top eight finishers in each divisions return for four $100,000 DSBF finals in late November, the 17th through 23rd.
The 2015 Hap Hansen Progress Pace was won by Wiggle It Jiggleit (Montrell Teague) in 1:48.4. The gelding also took the Matron Sophomore title in 1:49.4. Mosquito Blue Chip (Daniel Dube) was fill winner in 1:49.2. Mission Brief (Yannick Gingras) took a then world record of 1:50.2 to win the filly trot while Crazy Wow (Tim Tetrick) set a trot record for a three-year-old colt trot of 1:52.
The Matron freshman division featured an upset 1:51.4 victory with Gingras to win the colt pace while Tetrick and Newborn Sassy was a 1:52 filly winner. The frosh trots went to Womans Will (David Miller) in 1:54.2 and the colt Dog Gone Luck 1:55 with Corey Callahan).
At Dover Downs, there is no charge for admission or parking but. Reservations are suggested for the popular Winner's Circle Harness Racing Buffet in the Clubhouse Restaurant by phoning 302-764-4600. Due to strong weekend bookings at the 4-Star Dover Hotel, horsemen desiring to stay overnight are urged to make reservations.
Daily simulcasting of North American harness and thoroughbred racing and three-game parlays of NFL games are available in the Dover Downs' Race and Sport's Book located in the Colonnade.
Dover Downs Major Stakes Program 2016-2017
2016 Hap Hansen Progress Pace
11/21 Monday 3YO Pace Elim $35,000
11/28 Monday 3YO Pace Final $300,000
11/28 Monday Pace Consolation$25,000
Matron Stakes
11/3 Thursday 2YO Filly Pace $175,000
11/3 Thursday 2YO Filly Trot $180,000
11/3 Thursday 2YO Colt Pace $190,000
11/3 Thursday 2YO Colt Trot $205,000
11/10 Thursday 3YO Filly Pace $170,000
11/10 Thursday 3YO Filly Trot $190,000
11/10 Thursday 3YO Colt Trot $200,000
11/10 Thursday 3YO Colt Pace $180,000
2011 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF)
11/3 Thursday 2YOColtPaceElim1 $20,000
11/7 Monday 2YO ColtTrotElim1 $20,000
11/8 Tuesday 2YO ColtPaceElim1 $20,000
11/9 Wednesday 2YO Filly Trot Elim1 $20,000
11/10 Thursday 2YO ColtPaceElim 2 $20,000
11/14 Monday 2YO FillyColt Elim2 $20,000
11/15 Tuesday 2YOFilly Pace Elim2 $20,000
11/16 Wednesday 2YO Filly Trot Elim2 $20,000
11/17 Thursday 2YO Colt Pace Final $100,000G
11/21 Monday 2YO Colt Trot Final $100,000G
11/22 Tuesday 2YO Filly Pace Final $100,000G
11/23 Wednesday 2YO Filly Trot Final $100,000G
2017 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) TBA
Marv Bachrad
