DOVER, Del. — The feature race wasn't 'No Laughing Matters,' because Matters did win the top race on the Thursday, Dec. 10 harness racing program at Dover Downs. Framed Art wins fastest on card in 1:50.
Claimed two starts back by PT Stable, Laughing Matters rushed away from post 7 and was not approachable the rest of a 1:51.2 mile to win the $20,000-$25,000 4&5-Year-Old Claiming/Handicap pace. Corey Callahan drove for trainer Doug Lewis as the 5-Year-Old altered son of American Ideal-Liamatters won for the fifth time this campaign. PL Hoofhearted (Marcus Miller), the race favorite, chased the winner home to finish second. Jackson Brady (Ross Wolfenden) rallied late for show honors.
Framed Art, a 5-year-old son of Artiscape-Lo Gophobia reduced his lifetime record to 1:50 as Art Stafford Jr. wheeled him around the track for his fifth win of the year. Owned by Art and trainer Andrew Stafford, Framed Art won for the second straight start lifting his career earnings to $432,316.
The oldest racehorse at the track, 14-year-old Albert Chief nears the end of his racing days but still has it. The Albert Albert-Rea Bromac owned by Art Brewer was at his best wiring a good field of Delaware $5,000 claimers in 1:53.3 holding off Coastal Storm (Callahan), second, and Itsgottabemyway (RogerPlante), a close third, with a :29.1 final panel for his 20th win of the year and 68th lifetime. The Kathleen Brewer trained veteran won for the third time in four starts and fourth in his last six. He has earned $615,141 in his career.
The winningest horse at the met, Tina Clark's Jingle Bell Rocker, is in the holiday spirit chalking up his fourth win in-a-row with Ross Wolfenden at the controls in a 1:53.2 decision to win a 3,4&5-Year-Old $10,000 Claiming Allowance. It was his 16th triumph of 2015.
Allan Davis, who had three winners, led off the card driving both ends of the daily double. Ross Wolfenden also had two wins as did trainer Les Givens.
Dover Downs races Monday through Thursday with post time, 4:30 p.m. There is no live racing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
On Monday, when racing resumes at 4:30 p.m., Just A Jolt rejoins the $27,500 Delaware Special to battle last week's winner Captive Audience.
Marv Bachrad