Van goes to winner's circle

JM Vangogh, one of Tony Morgan's five wins, was at the top of his game winning the $27,500 Open Trot in 1:58.1 on a cold and snowy Wednesday at Dover Downs. Morgan also drove RC Destiny to victory in the $17,500 trot. Ross Wolfenden had a driving triple.

JM Vangogh took the lead from the starting gate and after Elvis Cole captured the front after the quarter, Morgan swing the 7-year-old son of the late stallion Earl to the outside and regained the lead for the last time. Elvis Cole, with Corey Callahan at the helm, held off a fast closing Kennywood and Roger Plante to take second. The victory was the second in three starts this year for the $1.2-million winning horse owned by John Mello and trainer Paul Chambers.

In the sub-feature trot, Tony Poliseno's RC Destiny, also driven by Morgan, sat behind front-trotting Put Them On Hold (Plante) cutting out the mile and Safari Heat (Jim King), with the two dueling from the backstretch until turning for home.

Morgan then plowed down the passing lane to reach the finish line in 1:57.3 to win a $17,500 winners-over trot. Put Them On Hold was second with Customize (Brad Hanners) closing for third.

Bobby Glassmeyer's veteran Armbro Timothy made his first start in nearly a year a winning one as Morgan piloted the 10-year-old Balanced Image gelding to a hard-won 1:59 victory in a $13,000 conditioned trot. It was the fifth straight win for Armbro Timothy who won his previous four starts last spring at Harrington Raceway. Mystery Solved (King) cut out the mile on the off-track and finished second. Johnny Peanuts (Carlo Poliseno) took third.

It isn't often that Morgan goes off driving at 15-1. The 2006 champion took Suzanne Hunsberger's Elm Grove Jake right to the front and quickly built up a big lead on the way to a 1:54.1 victory. Strait At Ya (Plante) the race favorite closed to finish second. C'mon C'mon C'mon (Brandon Givens) came on this time to finish third.

Wolfenden saved the best for the stretch while driving Joanne Matthews' Badlands Sammy closing strongly for a 1:56.4 score in a $12,000 Delaware pace for young horses. Gin And Vermouth (Hanners) and Shady Sensation (Tim Tetrick) were second and third, respectively.

Jans Cam made it two straight for owner-trainer-driver Joe Columbo in a $15,000 Delaware claiming allowance. Columbo as in his previous two wins this meet closed from far back to win, this time in 1:56.1. Dudley Death Drop (Mike Cole) was runner-up. (Dover Downs)

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