The Dover Downs 2016-2017 season leading harness racing trainer title has become a battle, currently a tie for first place. Jim King, having his finest season, won two races Thursday, defending champion Dylan Davis, one. Both now have 71 winners. Leigh Raymer is in third place, with 41 wins, the most ever for a female trainer at the track. Joe Hundertpfund, fourth, at 39, with Josh Green, fifth with 37 winners.
——————————————–
In the Leading Driver derby, defending champion Corey Callahan, after a slow start has a comfortable 15 win advantage, 163-138 over runner-up, early season leader, Vic Kirby. In statistics, Tony Morgan has moved into third with 129 winners, Yannick Gingras is fourth with 114 wins. Tim Tetrick, 99, is fifth.
————————————————–
Coming up: April 10-13, the last week of the 2016-2017 season will feature four $100,000 Three-Year-Old Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Stakes finals. Monday spotlights male trotters, Tuesday, filly pacers, Wednesday, filly trotters and closing Thursday, male pacers in addition to presentation of the Horse of the Meet, Leading Driver and Leading Trainer awards.
—————————————————————-
Completing 2nd leg action: Master Clave won his second $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) Three-Year-Old Male Trot 2nd leg preliminary while Jiggs recorded his first of the season on Monday (April 3).
———————————–
Logan's Girl won her second $20,000 DSBF Three-Year-Old prelim paces while 40-1 Lunar Phase upset odds-on favorite Spanish Dream in the second of four $20,000 divisions on Tuesday (April 4). Enhance Your Mind, one of five wins for Tony Morgan, won the $20,000 Mares Open.
—————————————————————
Donnie Long drove 33-1 longshot Willow Mill Anna in 2:02.3 to win one of two $20,000 DSBF 2nd leg Three-Year-Old Filly Trot preliminaries. Spoonful notched a 2:00.2 victory in the other division. Hollywood Highway won the $15,000 trot on the Wednesday card. Tim Tetrick won four races for the second straight day.
———————————————————
Henry The Dragon had a new driver this week, but it didn't matter. Jim Morand drove the 1:52.4win in the fastest of four $20,000 DSBF 2nd and final male pace prelims over a track inundated an hour earlier by a heavy rainstorm.
James Isaac, Bags To Riches and Wake Up And Go won the other DSBF $20,000 divisions. Major Uptrend won his third straight taking the $30,000 Preferred Handicap and Poisonous pulled a mild surprise winning the $27,500 Delaware Special Handicap on Thursday.
————————————
Current streaking horses at the track include Highalator and Donttellmeagain with four-in-a-row. While Iam Bonasera and Lyons Johnny have won three straight. Among the losers, DSBF freshman champion Bags To Riches' four win streak, All The Cookies and 11-year-old trotter Commander K three win streak ended during the week.
Marv Bachrad




