Weekly action from Dover Downs

With a win, second and two thirds in her last four stats, Matinee Dragon was overlooked at 56-1 odds in the $20,000 Mares Open. She took the lead at the top of the stretch en route to a lifetime best 1:52.4 victory for harness racing driver Jonathan Roberts on Tuesday (2/16) for the longest price payoff of the meet. Matinee Dragon paid $114.40 for a $2 win ticket setting a $462.20 exacta and a $1,766.60 trifecta payoff

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Frank Chick was active at last week's Blooded Horse Sale in Delaware, Ohio. Chick, who has enjoyed his best success as a horse owner the last two seasons, bought several horses with his highest bid $31,000 for classy trotter, Marzipan. Other local buyers include Chad Foulk, Dan Munson, and Tui Stone. Jim Ladwig selected several for Winbak Farms' broodmare band.

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Pacer Bushwacker is still the richest horse in the sport in early 2016 banking $74,100 already this year. Bushwacker is back Monday in the $30,000 Preferred pace to face Mustang Art, second again last week, and winner Dapper Dude. Lucan Hanover is a new face in the top event of the week.

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After 35-1 I Belong To You won the 12th race, on President's Day (2/15), racing was cancelled for the 13th, 14th, and 15th, due to the racetrack icing-up.

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Rocknroll Jewell, presently has the longest win streak at the track, six straight. Filly pacer Westluckycam won her fifth in-a-row on Tuesday (2/16), a win that ended a three-win streak for Mystery Writer. Meanwhile, Northern Rocknroll, recorded her fifth consecutive victory and sixth in her last seven races.

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Doctor McSwing is still looking for his first win ever. The pacer, a well-bred five-year-old may be a maiden; he is the richest maiden pacer racing at the track, seeking his first lifetime win. Doctor McSwing's record is 0 wins in 66 races, but he has 15 seconds and 10 third-place finishes and has earned $59,716 in lifetime purses. 'The Doctor' races again on Monday from post 2 in the 13th race.

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Wakazashi Hanover, trained by Jo Ann King of Harrington, winner of the $1-milllion 2015 North America Cup, was voted Canada's 2015 3-year-old Pacer of the Year, on, Feb. 13at the 27th annual O'Brien Awards Black Tie Banquet in Mississauga, Ont. Congratulations! His trainer. JoAnn Looney-King gets more honors. She's the U.S. Harness Writers' Associations' "Good Guy" Award winner at the Dan Patch Awards in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. On March 6.

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Driver Corey Callahan continues to build his lead for the track's Dash Win crown which would be his seventh-straight title; Callahan has a big lead winning 125 races currently. Allan Davis is next with 91 wins. Tony Morgan ranks third with 85 winners, Ross Wolfenden, is fourth with 81 winners. George Dennis completes the Top 5 with 77 wins.

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Dylan Davis with 50 winners heads the Leading Trainer ranks. Jim King is second with 35 wins. Wayne Givens is in third place with 32, while Kevin Lare has moved into a fourth place tie with Doug Lewis with 25 wins

NOVA ARTIST ONE TO BEAT IN DOVER SUNDAY FEATURE

DOVER, Del.— Nova Artist, two-time Horse of the Meet, drew the rail in the feature race on Sunday, Feb. 21 at Dover Downs. A $20,000 Claiming pace is the co-feature  on the 15-race card. Post time is 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Owned by Eddie and Kathy Davis, Nova Artist nearing the $1-million mark in career earnings leaves from post 1. Last start he missed by a neck finishing third following an impressive victory the previous start. Martin Davis trains the nine-year-old driven by his brother Allan Davis. Lee Louthan’s homebred Go Big Spinder, with Tony Morgan in the bike, fourth beaten a half-length last week, is alongside while Howard Taylor and Tom Lazzaro’s recently acquired Major Bucks with Jonathan Roberts has a close-up first, second and third in his last three outings.

Two other starters are fresh from victory last time out. Ed Gannon’s Quik Magic and Vic Kirby won wire-to wire in 1;51.4 with William Moffett’s Leyden an off-the-pace winner.  Breakaway Racing’s Movie Idol with Frank Milby missed by a nose in his last race. Doug Lewis’ sharp Sunshine Superman piloted by Ross Wolfenden is burdened by outside post 8.

The sub-feature is a $20,000 4&5-Year-Old Claiming Allowance. Kathleen Brewer’s Quick Shot (Wolfenden), a winner last start, has the rail in a select field of six claimers, Mike Casalino and Dylan Davis’ If You Want Fire (A. Davis) has been sharp in recent starts. The other contenders are DuPage’s Z Tam (Morgan), owned by Polansky, the McCaffreys and Z Tam Stables, Allan Welch’s Sentosa Island (Roberts), Art Season (Jim Morand) making his first since the Harrington meet and JoAnn King’s Manolito Montoya (Kirby) from the outside.

This is the next to last Sunday of the meet. Post time is 5:30 p.m. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, racing begins at 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday are dark days.  .

To enjoy racing and the popular Winner’s Circle Harness Buffet it, is suggest to call for a reservation, phone 302-674-4600.

Throughout the year, Harness and Thoroughbred Simulcasting opens daily at 12 Noon until 12 Midnight at Dover Downs Race and Sports Book in the Colonnade. There is no charge for parking or admission at Dover Downs.

Marv Bachrad