Mare posts third straight upset win in Dover Open

For the third week in a row Ultimate Bet came up a winner in the $32,000 Mares Open Pace on Tuesday at Dover Downs. Poker Mom was a longshot winner of the $25,000 sub-feature while four drivers won two races each.

Ultimate Bet has become a "Rodney Dangerfield" of the $32,000 top distaff division. The Bettor's Delight 5 year old, after winning the previous two feature races at 25-1 and 9-1, still was overlooked at 9-2 odds as Sean Bier guided her third consecutive victory in 1:52.4 for trainer Chuck Crissman and owner Three Point Acres. Nidya A closed strong along the inside for Ross Wolfenden to take second in front of Pacific Philly and Eddie Davis Jr. in the cavalry charge finish.

In the $25,000 mares winners-over pace, 29-1 shot Johnny Waite's Poker Mom had a second-over trip behind Famed Artist and Jim Morand until turning for home. In the stretch the Run The Table 8 year old had just enough to hold off Shady Sabrina and Roger Plante closing along the passing lane and the Eddie Davis-driven Badlands Iron Lady among a quartet in 1:54 photo finish. Ironically, Poker Mom was overlooked after a second-place finish last week preceded by a victory the week before. Odd-on favorite Yada Yada Yada A with Wolfenden led the distaff field to the top of the lane before weakening and finishing off the board.

The Green Machine, Tim Tetrick, guided Ozmopolitan to a 1:53.2 triumph in a $23,000 mares winners-over pace. Camturo finished a game second for Tim Curtin while Tug River Aussie and driver Jonathan Roberts took the show spot.

Ozmopolitan is owned by Mike Casalino and trainer Dylan Davis and posted her third win of the year.

Bill and Rich Fritts' Fritzie Bunnie made the winner's circle for the first time in 2008 with Mike Cole piloting a 1:53.1 score in the $16,000 mares pace. Alberts Drifter N (Bret Brittingham) was runner-up. Sixteen Candles (Bob Kinsey Jr.) was a close-up third.

Mapua Magic N, with Tetrick driving for Ricky Pryor and Wendy Crissman, showed her class fighting off a formidable head-to-head challenge from Keystone Rhythm (Corey Callahan) down the backstretch and then pulled away in mid stretch for a 1:53.2 victory. Hopefull N (Vic Kirby) was second with Keystone Rhythm holding third.

Bay Express N took the lead at the start and played follow the leader the rest of a 1:53.1 mile as Callahan picked up his second win in the $14,000 mares pace. Howard Paisley and trainer Kevin Maloney own the Whiteland Trouble veteran winner for the first time this season. Ain't Gonna Back (Ben Stafford Jr.) came between horses to edge You're Welcome (Tetrick) for second-place honors.

Unn, a 4-year-old Aces N Sevens mare now owned by John Wagenhoffer who raced in the $7,500 claimers as recently as early January, won for the 10th time this meet as Kevin Sizer steered a lifetime fastest 1:53.2 triumph in a $15,000 mares claiming allowance. (Dover Downs)

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