Apache Dame wins at Dover

Apache Dame, the reigning Horse of the Meet, showed her class scoring an overland 1:53 victory in the $30,000 Mares Open/Handicap pace. Tug River Aussie won the $20,000 distaff sub-feature at Dover Downs on a partly rainy Tuesday, March 23. Three drivers, Ross Wolfenden, Jim Morand and Ron Pierce had triples.

Ross Wolfenden pulled Apache Dame to the outside in front of the grandstand and continued to move up to finally challenge last week's feature winner Boots Place (Mike Cole) at the three quarters. The Apaches Fame-Amerissa nine-year-old then took over and opened up entering the stretch. Apache Dame was an easy winner chalking up her fourth win of the year for Paul McDougall and WJ McDougall Racing Inc. The Peter Tritton trainee has now banked $75,230 in 2010. Shady Sabrina closed strongly for Tim Tetrick to finish second. Perfect M Forever took third for Brad Hanners.

Tug River Aussie, driven by Jim Morand, scored her third consecutive victory stepping up to the $20,000 3,4&5-Year-Old Fillies and Mares pace to notch a 1:53 victory. The win driving the Cambest-Awestralian six-year-old owned by Mike and Ann Tait, was also Morand's third of the day. Kellytuck Sophie (Jon Roberts) came on to edge early leader Chloes Silver Star (Pierce) for second.

In a $19,000 distaff pace, Baron Racing's Honorary Hanover won for the third time this meet and fourth time this year as Ron Pierce chauffeured an easy 1:55 triumph for the four-year-old daughter of Western Ideal-Holding Court. Braggin Hanover (Ben Stafford Jr.) cam on in the lane for second. Fox Valley Patina (Tony Morgan) was the show finisher.

Tony Morgan moved Lloyd Arnold's 9-1 shot Delightful Diva out of fourth turning for home and charged down the lane to get up in the last stride to take the $17,000 pace for females in 1:55. It was the second win for the Bettor's Delight-Mellowood Abby five-year-old. Ball Gown A (Wolfenden) led for most of the mile and finished second with Madges Lil Fortune (Pierce) finishing third.

Racing third, Ron Pierce sent Mystra along the passing lane to edge Alpine Gold N (Morgan) at the wire in 1:54.2 in a $14,000 Mares pace. VC Atom N (Vince Copeland) was third.(Dover)