Million Dollar Monday

Dover Downs readies for its biggest race day of the 2006 season, Million Dollar Monday, Nov. 27, featuring four $250,000 Classic Series finals, all 1-1/4 milers, and the $213,845 Matron Stakes 3-Year-Old Colt Pace final. A $32,500 Preferred Handicap pace, a $30,000 Delaware Special and a $24,000 Open Pace are on a powerful undercard. Post time is 4:30 p.m.

The $250,000 Trotting Classic has a select five-horse field of all-stars. Todd Shadel and trainer-driver Roger Hammer's Vivid Photo has won three of his last four starts including last week's Meadowlands event. Adam Victor & Son Stable's Mr. Muscleman with Ron Pierce was second, with August Miedel's Sand Vic and Brian Sears third. Sir Perseverance, who has been unbeaten in all his three appearances at Dover Downs, is teamed with George Brennan, while local favorite JM Vangogh, owned by John Mello and Delaware trainer Paul Chambers, will be driven from post one by Tony Morgan.

Only five FFA pacers showed up for the $250,000 Pacing Classic. With Casimir Comotion laid up with a leg injury, reigning champion Boulder Creek, winner of last week's final prelim at the Meadowlands, will be driven by Daniel Dube and will be coupled in the betting with Spirit Of A Shark and Cat Manzi. The Siegels, Lee Wasserman and John Fodera own the pair. World champion Holborn Hanover, with George Brennan driving for John Fielding and Canamerica Capital Corp., drew the rail with Kauffman, Stiller, W. Springtime and Robert McIntosh Stables' Stonebridge Regal and Ron Pierce alongside. Richard Annunziata's Hop Sing teamed with David Miller completes the line up.

The Class Distaff is a showcase of fabulous and fast female pacers. Marvin Rounick's Glowing Report with David Miller will attempt to get back on the winning foot after a third last week ended a six-race win streak. Daniel Dube drove Daniel Plouffe's Marnie Hall to a 1:50.4 surprise victory. Defending champion Burning Point was second for Cuzzins Stable, beaten by a nose with Ron Pierce at the controls. Completing the field are Katherine Bardis' Easton Alliance N and Cat Manzi from the rail and Bill Gregg and Andray Farm's Vysoke Tatry handled by Brian Sears.

The largest group of starters comes in the $250,000 Classic Oaks. Peter Kleinhans Racing's Lavec Dream was a 21-1 upset winner last week with George Brennan in the bike. Alvin Jacobson and Sid Korn's Mystical Sunshine and Ron Pierce finished second with Soveig, owned by Christine Takter, John Fielding, Fred Hertrich and Anderberg Stable, finishing third for trainer-driver Jimmy Takter. The rest of the field of talented ladies are White Creek Stable's Three Little Words with David Miller from the inside, flanked by Terry and Clarence Devos' Snazzy Millie and Brian Sears. Ticket To Glide, owned by Angie Stiller and Mentally Stable Inc., will be reined by Cat Manzi. Lindy Racing stable's Nana's Best and Yannick Gingras leave from the outside post seven.

The Matron Final has a strong local connection. Trainer George Teague has a powerhouse two-horse entry, Total Truth, co-owned by Only Money and Teague Inc., winner of last week's $71,275 Matron elimination, and Western Ace, owned by Kovach Stables and Teague Inc. Total Truth is the leading money winning pacer this season, banking more than $1.4-million. Hall of Fame driver Ron Pierce will drive from post two. Western Ace, a winner of nearly $1.2 million in his career, will be driven by David Miller from post six.

Mr. Feelgood, the 2006 Little Brown Jug winner, finished second last week for owners Canamerica Capital Corp., Lindy Farm of Conn. and Diversity Stable. He will be driven by Tim Tetrick. Frank Dettore's Ontario standout Eagle Luck, with former three-time track driving champion Luc Ouellette finished third in the elim. Hall of Fame driver Mike Lachance will be behind Ed Mullinax's Up Front Peyton. Carr's Character, a recent $150,000 purchase by trainer Mark Silva and Bell Valley Farms, will be driven by Brian Sears. The other starters are Father And Son and Stable 45's Western Guy, with Tony Morgan driving, and Sandro Hanover, owned by George Leon and Dean Davis, a winner of a Jug Preview, with trainer-driver Mark Kesmodel. (Dover Downs)

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