Trojan Banner is too good for Romantic Interest with ex Kiwi Glengarry Knight third.
Trojan Banner opens 2020 in style at Dover Downs as Dexter closes 2019 an award winner
By Barry Lichter • 6 January 2020
Former Lincoln Farms pacer Trojan Banner has won his second race in the United States, pacing 1:51.8 at Dover Downs in Delaware.
Trojan Banner, who raced three times late last year for a win and a second (in 1:50), opened the New Year on January 2 with a comfortable win in the hands of champion driver Tim Tetrick.
Trojan Banner, who started at the restrictive odds of 2-5 - which equates to New Zealand’s $1.40 - wasn’t rushed out from the pole position, settling fifth in Indian file.
Tetrick moved up to enjoy the one-one position soon after the bell and when he cruised round three wide turning for home he looked to have the race in safe keeping.
And while Romantic Interest (14-1) held him to a head margin, Trojan Banner was travelling easily at the line, posting sectionals of 26.6, 30.2, 27.2 and 27.8.
Dexter Dunn will receive his driver of the year award in February.The win took Trojan Banner’s US earnings to US$19,650 for owners Richard Poillucci and Jo Ann Looney-King, who bought the horse from Lincoln Farms soon after he had won seven races straight for Queensland trainer Al Barnes.
The win continued the unstoppable march of Tetrick who was the leading money driver in the United States for 2019 with US$15.6 million, ahead of Yannick Gingras on US$13.4 million.
But more notable was the feat of New Zealand’s Dexter Dunn to finish third, with US$12.07 million, earning him the award of driver of the year by the US Harness Writers’ Association in his first full season.
Dunn, who drove in 2696 races and won 460 of them, will receive his award at the annual Dan Patch Awards Banquet, honouring the champions of 2019, in Florida on February 23.
All three of the top drivers were associated with Dan Patch winners, Dunn the regular pilot of top three-year-old male pacer Bettor’s Wish, who notched 13 wins and six seconds from his 19 starts.
Tetrick drove the champion older female pacer Shartin and top two-year-old Captaintreacherous filly Lyons Sentinel while Gingras enjoyed success with top two-year-old Bettor’s Delight colt Tall Dark Stranger, three-year-old Sweet Lou filly Warrawee Ubeaut and older female trotter Atlanta.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
