SCHOOLKIDS WINS $35,000 FEATURE; ASTOUNDING  HANOVER, $32,500 DEL. SPECIAL

Dover, Del. ---  Schoolkids was a convincing winner of the $35,000 Preferred Handicap win while Astounding Hanover won the $32,500 Delaware Special in 1:50 on a Summer-like Monday, April 11 at Dover Downs

In the $35,000 Preferred Handicap, Pat Berry sent Schoolkids moved to the front at the quarter and never looked back scoring a 1:50.3 victory to lift his seasonal bankroll into three digits. The five-year-old son of I Am A Fool-Game Bunny turned in his fastest clocking of the year under ideal weather conditions for KDM Stables Corp. The win was his fourth of the year in 13 outings for $100,540 earnings. The 2009 Matron Stake winner, now conditioned by Nick Surick, has now won $710,635 in his career. Three Of Spades (Ron Pierce) finished second. Dina’s Gamble (Jim Morand), first out of the gate, finished third.

Tim Tetrick came on strong in the stretch driving Astounding Hanover to overtake Charger (Ron Pierce) half way home to notch a 1:50 victory in the $32,500 Del. Special. Joe Johnson and trainer Jim King own the Allamerican Native-Aw Shucks Hanover gelding bringing his 2011 bankroll to $87,455 and $310,337 lifetime. Roy Orbisong (Daryl Bier) making his first start since mid November finished third.

Tim Tetrick’s second win came guiding It Was An Honor to a 1:51.2 score in an $18,000 Male Winners-Over pace. KDK Standardbreds and Golden Hour Stables own the Western Terror-Roofin Ruth gelding now a four-race winner this year. The five-year-old has earned $45,725 since Jan. 1. McCabe Hall )Ron Pierce) was runner-up. Cadence N (Corey Callahan) was third.

Kiss My Art won the fastest of two $18,000 4&5-Year-Old paces as Eric Goodell steered the Artsplace-No Kiss N Tell gelding out of fourth heading to the far turn and then took over on the way to a 1:50.2 triumph for owner-trainer Josh Green. Highbeam Rusty N (Ron Pierce) was second breaking a two-win streak with Foxland (Tony Morgan) the show horse.

Winsmith Art closed strongly to register a 1:51.1 lifetime mark in another $18,000 pace for young horses. John Wagner trains and drives the Real Artist-Winsmith Karen homebred gelding for Scott Woogen. Here Comes Brandon (Ron Pierce) was runner-up. Make Mischief (Brad Hanners), the only five-year-old in the race was the third finisher. 

Ron Pierce with two wins has moved into first place in the dash-win standings with 224 trips to the winner’s circle. Defending champion Corey Callahan is now second with 222 winners. Tim Tetrick, Tony Morgan,  Bret Brittingham and trainer Don Brittingham also had two wins each. .

Only three more days of live racing remain for the current Dover Downs meet. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday post time is 4:30 p.m. Simulcasts of harness and thoroughbred racing is featured daily from 12 Noon until 12 Midnight in the Dover Downs Race and Sports Book.  Parking and admission is free.