Why Not Now impressive in $260,000 Progress Pace Final

Why Not Now (Always A Virgin) produced a strong first-over harness racing effort to defeat seven rivals in the $260,000 Progress Pace Final for sophomore pacing colts and geldings at Dover Downs on Wednesday evening (Nov. 22nd).

Driver Andrew McCarthy was content to sit fourth early as El Rey (Dexter Dunn) fired to the front early and cut a swift :25.4 opening quarter. El Rey led to the :53.2 half as with Cannibal (Yannick Gingras) and Moment Is Here (Tim Tetrick) racing second and third and Why Not Now starting his outside move.

There were no breathers to the three quarters as McCarthy kept the pedal to the metal and fired a :26.3 third stanza which contributed to the 1:20.1 fraction. El Rey held a 1 1/2-length lead at that point, but he was about to face stretch challenges. Moment Is Here swung three-wide off the last turn and looked like he might sweep past for the win, but Why Not Now was resilient and he forged the front in between horses in midstretch and held the advantage to the wire for a one-length win.

Why Not Now paced a :28 kicker to stop the teletimer in 1:48.2, equaling his lifetime mark. Moment Is Here finished second, a half a length in front of El Rey with even money favorite Cannibal finishing fourth. The winner paid $7.80.

WHY NOT NOW REPLAY

“We had a bit more of a fortunate draw tonight,” said winning driver Andy McCarthy. “We had the inside, so we could kind of pick and choose where we wanted to get away. I kind of had it in my head if it looked like there were going to be big fractions, I wanted to be first-over. The way that he felt last week, it felt like he’s just really long speed, this horse. I had it in my head I’d like to get away fourth, but I was just going to see who left and who didn’t.”

After going winless in nine starts at two, Why Not Now has won nine of his 18 starts this year. He has a record of 9-7-2 in 2023 and he has now earned more than $617,000 lifetime for trainer Dylan Davis of Delaware who co-owns with Jeff Billings also of Delaware and Howard Taylor of Pennsylvania.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink