Sevruga scores at Dover

Dover, DE --- Sevruga, after completing his biggest season in 2012, started the New Year with a 1:53.2 victory in the $23,000 Open trot on Wednesday, Jan. 9 at Dover Downs.

Fotowon photo

Sevruga (#2) and driver Pat Berry just got up in the Dover feature.

Driven by Pat Berry, Sevruga rolled out of fourth heading to the clubhouse turn and slowly progressed on the outside to reach the race-leading Green Day (Corey Callahan) by the three-quarters and then took over and sped home in :28 to hold-off Sun Of A Victory (Daryl Bier) by closing through the passing lane on the way to victory. Green Day held on for third.

Julie Miller conditions Sevruga for KDM Stables. The victory pushed the SJ’s Caviar--Stunning Lindsey gelding’s lifetime bankroll to $402,991.

Ron Pierce notched a three-bagger. Corey Callahan and Eric Carlson had two wins apiece.

-- Marv Bachrad

The Meadows
Shadows Dream sustained a powerful first-over bid that carried him to victory in Wednesday’s $20,000 Preferred Handicap Pace at The Meadows. Risk Management carved out a comfortable half in :57.1, making the task that much more difficult for the back markers. But Shadows Dream moved relentlessly for Eric Ledford from fifth and finally nailed Risk Management at the wire, earning a narrow win in 1:53. McSocks shot the Lightning Lane for show. Eric Mollor trains Shadows Dream, a 7-year-old Dream Away-Dream Supreme gelding who soared over $200,000 in career earnings, for Classico Stables. Tony Hall and Brett Miller each drove three winners on the 13-race card.

Pompano Park
Dutchess Seelster, the Duke of York mare who equaled Pompano Park’s track trotting record for her age, sex and gait with a 1:54.2 win on Dec 9, “Xeroxed” that performance on Wednesday night in the Open I feature. Trained by Don Glowacki for owner John Campagnuolo, the 7-year-old was driven by Wally Hennessey, who gave her a picture-perfect drive in scoring the decision, measuring 1-1/2 lengths over Blushing Hanover, handled by Mickey McNichol. Gale Warning (Kevin Wallis) was third in the mile, three lengths off the winner, while Prairie Big John (Tom Sells) finished fourth with favored Adenium grabbing the last “nickel.” As third choice in the betting, Dutchess Seelster paid $9.80 to win. Hennessey had high praise for the mare’s performance: “She really did this all by herself tonight. It was she that seemed to just follow the gate out of there and then she became very relaxed in letting Mickey’s mare (Blushing Hanover) go. At the top of the lane, I just tilted her out a bit and she did the rest. She was very good tonight.” For the lightly raced Dutchess Seelster -- she started only 14 times last year -- it was her 21st lifetime win in 81 starts, pushing her career bounty to $214,726.