trong style="font-family: Arial;">DSOA 15th ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER HONORS DELAWARE STANDOUTS

DOVER, Del. ---- A large turnout of nearly 400 horsemen, legislators and friends of racing turned out for the 15th annual Delaware Standardbred Owners Association (DSOA) Awards Dinner at the Dover Sheraton Hotel Friday, Jan. 13, 2012.
 
Mistress of Ceremony Heather Moffett presented a colorful, fun-filled video of high spots of her weekly harness program Post Parade on WBOC TV followed by highlights of the 2011 racing year featuring award-winning top horses of the Dover Downs and the Harrington Raceway meets. The banquet also featured a silent auction to benefit Horse Lovers United, Inc. A Not-for profit organization which provides a residence and care for retired horses.
 
In addition to leading horsemen and friends in attendance were many of Delaware’s top legislative executives. The list included Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Ed Key and Secretary of Finance Tom Cook; State Senators Gary Simpson and Joe Booth and State Legislative Representatives Don Blakey, Gerald Brady, Quinn Johnson, Harvey Kenton, John Kowalko, Biff Lee, Joseph Miro, Bobby Outten, Jack Peterman, Michael Ramone, Lincoln Willis and Dave Wilson and former State Senator Nancy Cook, a longtime supporter of racing.
 
 Among the attendees were Delaware Harness Racing Commission Administrator Hugh Gallagher, Commission Chair Beth Steele and commission members Breezy Brown, Patricia Wagner and Larry Talley. Also present were USTA District Directors, Jim Boese, Russell MacKinnon and Dr. William Moffett, the DSOA board of directors – president Andy Markano, Brenda Bramble, 1st vice president, Dr. William Moffett, 2nd vice president, Presley Moore, treasurer, Frances West, secretary and Sal DiMario, executive director. Other directors include, Frank Deliberti, George Dennis, Russell McKinnon, Greg Simendinger, George Teague, Max Walton, Valerie Warnick, Dan Camac and Ralph Holloway, directors emeritus.
 
and Harness Hall of Fame publicist John Manzi of Monticello Raceway and Ted Black of the media.
 
DSOA 2011 award winners:
The coveted James T. Case Jr. DSOA Horizon Award (to a horseman making outstanding progress during year) was presented to harness driver Montrell Teague, one of the sport’s rising stars.
 
This year, the DSOA gave out a total of $6,000 in Scholarship awards. The recipients of  awards are Bethany Fleming, Delaware State University, majoring in Secondary Science Education; Brooke Gannon, a Nursing major at Wesley College and Dianna Louder, a Psychology major at University of Delaware.
 
The James T. Case Jr. Scholarship in memory of the longtime DSOA President, was presented to Robert Sort Jr., Delaware Tech Community College major in Production Agriculture.  

Dover Downs 2010-2011 Horse Honors
Horse of the Meet – Cams Art
Trotter of the Meet – Second Hand News
Claimer of the Meet – Coletown USA
Harrington Raceway 2011 Honorees
Horse of the Year – Eastwood Aurora N
Trotter of the Year- Tough Challenger
Claimer of the Year – Mack Hill
 
The Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) 2011 champions
Honored were:
Two-Year-Olds – pacers: Shaving Mug (colt) and No Picnic (filly), trotters: Windshield (colt) and Alleigh Girl (filly)
Three-Year-Olds – Three Martini’s (colt) and Badlands Jenna (filly), trotters: Mob Boss (colt) and Overnight Command (filly)
 
A Special Achievement Award was presented to Jack Ireland, veteran Wilmington News Journal harness racing reporter for his longtime coverage of racing.
 
A silent auction of harness memorabilia to benefit Horse Lovers United under the supervision of its founder, Lorraine Truitt, for the care for horses whose racing careers had ended.
 
Following awards presentation, the popular group Clarence Smith’s “On The Edge,” provided musical entertainment.