Higher And Higher scored an impressive victory in the $23,000 Mares Open Handicap pace on Tuesday at Dover Downs.
In her first start since late November, Higher And Higher showed no effects as the Western Terror-Pro Bowl Best five-year-old got away last and then after the first quarter driver Daryl Bier pulled her to the outside and she worked up into contention. As the female pacers reached the turn down the lane, Higher And Higher took over and pulled away for her first win of the year in 1:53.2.
It was win number five in seven starts since late October. Bier, Glenn Del Russo and Charles Dombeck share ownership in the $789,587 lifetime winner. No Bad Luck rolled along the passing lane for Montrell Teague to finish second. Fast closing Lorrie Please with Corey Callahan came in third.
One race earlier, Bay Pond Racing Stable’s Freedom Crossing, teamed with Ross Wolfenden, closed with a rush to overtake Wish All You Want (Matt Kakaley) nearing the finish line for a 1:54.1 victory in the $16,500 Mares Winners-Over pace. The five-year-old daughter of Artiscape-Bunker To Bunker trained by Wayne Givens won for the first time in 2012. Odds On Riesling (Ron Pierce) was the show finisher.
After three consecutive second-place finishes, Belinda Hughes’ Badlands Style broke through to notch a 1:55.3 victory in a $15,000 conditioned event. Jon Roberts steered the Badlands Hanover-Precious Melanie mare owned by Belinda Hughes. Peruvian Banner N (Tim Tettrick) was second in font of RBs Girl (Tim Curtin).
Ross Wolfenden and Matt Kakaley had driving doubles.