$36,000 Open Preferred pace at Dover

Three winners from last week's outstanding harness racing card – Atta Boy Dan, Bad Boy Matt and Just A Jolt – vie in the $36,000 Open Preferred pace feature at Dover Downs on another strong Monday card, April 4. Post time is 4:30 p.m.

Weaver Bruscemi and Burke Racing's Atta Boy Dan was winner of last Monday's Preferred Handicap with Andrew McCarthy driving while Reggie Hazzard and Legacy Racing's Bad Boy Matt with Allan Davis in the bike won the $33,000 Delaware Special. Janet Hudson's Just A Jolt and Tim Tetrick returned to top form racking up a 1:52 victory in a $17,500 Winners-Over pace.

Henderson Farms' Bushwacker and Corey Callahan are off to a fine start in 2016. Max Walton and Greg Papaleo's Mustang Art has been sharp recently finishing second his last two starts. Sean Bier is his driver. Blazing Bobby Sox with trainer-driver and co-owner Art Stafford Jr.is enjoying a big season with five wins already. Peter Venturini, Peter Venturini III and Brian Malone's Smart Rocker finished third last week after three consecutive wins with Tony Morgan piloting. The fast Soto, owned by Ken Wood, Bill Dittmar and Steve Iaquinta, leaves from the rail with Ross Wolfenden at the controls.

There is an excellent supporting card to the $36,000 Open Preferred pace and $33,000 Delaware Specia alsol with two $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders stakes 2nd leg divisions.

Monday through Thursday racing begins at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday are dark days.

Enjoy racing and tasty food at the same time while at Dover Downs. It happens in the Winner's Circle Restaurant Harness Buffet where Madre d' Lorraine will escort you to your table. Reservations are suggested for the Winner's Circle Restaurant and for those planning to stay at the 4-star Dover Downs Hotel. Call 302-674-4600.

At Dover Downs, there is no charge for parking and admission. Harness and thoroughbred simulcasts, daily from 12 Noon until 12 Midnight.

DOVER DOWNS NEWS EXTRA 

Wiggle It Jiggleit won the biggest race of the early 2016 season, the $60,000 Invitational/Handicap on 3/28 The 2015 Horse of the Year, Wiggle It Jiggleit, makes his first start as a four-year-old and breezed to an easy 1:51.4 victory. in the $60,000 Invitational/Handicap pace. The $2.2-million winner who won four races at Dover Downs last year, the Matron Stake and the Hap Hansen Progress Pace elim and final and all five of his starts at Dover Downs.

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World champion trotter JL Cruze will highlight the Wednesday card at Dover Downs. JL Cruze, who made his 1:53 winning debut at Meadowlands Friday in a $25,000 trot will race in a $36,000 Open Preferred trot Wednesday facing Gural Hanover and Somebody AS in the eight-horse field. Dave Briggs in Harness Racing Update has an excellent story on JL Cruze and owner Ken Wood’s decade-long project digging wells in Ghana and Tansmania.

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The 2016 DSBF Three-Year-Old Champion $20,000 preliminaries are underway. The first of two weeks prior to the $100,000 finals were featured during the week, Chipoffthewall, the freshman champ trotted and Outside The Line, both driven by Tony Morgan for trainer Syl King, last Monday. On Tuesday, Apple Bottom Jeans, Use Your Noodle and Cougar Creek won filly pace prelims. On Wednesday, Jasmine K and Epic Smash were filly trot winners. Thursday, colt pacer wins were turned in by John’s Dream, Hail To The Master and Cut the Breach. The top 8 point-getters after two prelims return for a $100,000 DSBF Final held on the last week of the meet.

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Last Monday, Options Are Adream, the only unbeaten three-year-old at the track, won his sixth straight. Go Collect N registered his fourth straight win. Several other streaks were snapped, Rockeyed Optimist finished second after 4 consecutive wins. Smart Rokker, had won 3-ina-row, Jeneral Patton’s 4-straight and Art History’s a 3-race win streaks came to an end.

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Doctor McSwing is still the track’s richest maiden pacer. In his winless career, now 71 races, the 5-year-old has won $63,800 in purses. Over the years, he has finished second 15-times with 13 thirds. He tires for that first win again on Monday in the 11th race from post 6.

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There will be no change in season-ending awards. Corey Callahan will win the leading dash-win title for the seventh straight year. Dylan Davis will take the Leading Trainer crown for the third consecutive season. These awards and Horse of the Meet will be presented on meet closing night, Thursday, April 14.

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A reminder, a horsemen’s family is in need. Layla Mosley, 5-year-old granddaughter of trainer Joe Hundertpfund was diagnosed with Stage 4 Ewing Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer. She is receiving treatment at A.I.DuPont Hospital for Children and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Donations are being accepted by calling Rich Ashley at 302-270-6480.

Marv Bachrad