He's Spooky steps up in 1:53.4 at Dover

After winning a Dover Downs winners-over trot at 8-1 last week and stepping up to the $23,000 Open Handicap feature on Wednesday, bettor's didn't give He's Spooky a ghost of a chance of winning, sending him off at 16-1 odds in the feature race. He's Spooky surprised, however, scoring a 1:53.4 victory on a chilly Wednesday night (Jan. 23).

 

Eric Carlson was at the controls as He's Spooky was strongest in the stretch chalking up his second win in three 2013 starts. Howard Taylor, Alan Kaplan, LA Express and Rojan stables own the Cantab Hall-Yankee Topaz 6-year-old trained by Mike Hall, who now has won $283,974 in his career. Cash On Delivery, last week's feature trot winner, finished second for Vince Copeland while Allan Davis drove Gurf to a third-place finish. Both race twin-favorites Anders Bluestone and Green Day finished off the board.

 

Local favorite Allmar Surprise turned back six rivals for a 1:54.3 triumph in the $16,000 Winners-Over trot. Vic Kirby drove the only female in the field to her second win, to go along with a second-place, in three starts this year for owner Chris Giaccio. The Angus Hall-Benita Victory eight-year-old now has reached the half-million dollar mark in earnings standing at $500,934. Mandabra (Corey Callahan) closed well to finish second in front of Major Herbie (Ron Pierce).

 

After a lapse of seven starts dating back to November. 21, Tagyoureit Hanover returned to the winner's circle notching a 1:54.2 decision in a $13,500 trot. Ross Wolfenden drove the Andover Hall-Tags Sweetie gelding trained by Eric Ell for Ken Wood, Toby Rekoon and Stew Goldberg. Baximum (Tony Morgan) took place honors while Awsome Valley (Carlo Poliseno) was third.

 

The sport's leading driver in early 2013, Corey Callahan added four more wins to his first-place total, now at 60 winners. Tim Tetrick had a driving double. (Dover)