Melvin's Dream a repeat winner at Dover

Melvin's Dream stepped up in class to win the $40,000 Preferred, Dontloseyourdayjob, the $37,000 Delaware Special, Ideal Vintage the $30,000 Open and Zee Barber took the $28,000 Four-Year-Old Open features on Monday, April 12 at Dover Downs. In a racetrack ceremony Three Of Spades was named Dover Downs Horse of the Meet.

After winning last week's Four-Year-Old Open in 1:49.3, Melvin's Dream took on the top older pacers in the $40,000 feature and with a patient drive from Tony Morgan, the Gamblers Dream-KG's Starlet gelding sprang out of third in the stretch to race to a 1:50 victory, his sixth in a row. Booze Cruzin and Tim Tetrick had led early only to yield to the quick-stepping favorite Three Of Spaces during a :26.1 third quarter. In the stretch Melvin's Dream came on for the win with Booze Cruzin second and Three Of Spades was a close third. Melvin's Dream has now won 10 of his 12 races this year,banking $118,460 for Ian Fromowitz, who purchased the Delaware-bred early in the year.

Owner-trainer Brian Callahan's Dontloseyourdayjob outdashed Kelly's Spur, driven by Corey Callahan to score a 1:52.2 triumph in the $37,000 Delaware Special. Daryl Bier drove the Life Sign-ICI Aussi five-year-old to his fourth win of the year raising his seasonal earnings to $67,330. Art Director finished third with Mike Cole in the bike.

Tim Tetrick driving Ideal Vintage had just enough to hold off a torrid close by Roll Call (Jon Roberts) by a nose in 1:51.2 to win the $30,000 Open pace. Mr. Excellent (Ron Pierce) was the show finisher. Arty Foster Jr. owns and trains Ideal Vintage, a Western Ideal-Art's Vintage gelding, now a three-time winner this season in 11 starts winning $45,800.

In the $30,000 Open pace, Arty Foster's Ideal Vintage had just enough to hold off fast finishing Roll Call (Jon Roberts) by a nose at the wire in 1:51.2. Tim Tetrick drove the Western Ideal-Art's Vintage gelding to his third win of the year after three straight third-place finishes. Mr. Excellent (Ron Pierce) was the show horse.

Zee Barber returned to winning form in the $28,000 Four-Year-Old Open. Montrell Teague made the winner's circle for the second time piloting the Badlands Hanover-Scissor Magic horse, bred and owned by Gary and Barbara Iles, to his first win in four starts this season turning back seven rivals with a front-pacing 1:51.3 victory. Yankee Fortysix (Brad Hanners) closed strongly along the passing lane to finish second in front of Estero Bay (Morgan).

Tony Morgan drove three winners, Montrell Teague and trainer George Teague had two wins each.

Horse of the Meet Three Of Spades won six feature races during the 2009-2010 meet and $158,850 with Jon Roberts driving for owners 'Dutch' DeLodovico and Bib Roberts. (Dover)