After spending the first half-mile at the back of the main body of the field, Trout Master circled three-wide into the far turn and reeled in 6-5 joint favourite LGs Jaxon to spring a 17-1 upset in the $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series final for two-year-old male trotters on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at Bally's Dover.
Pat Berry kept Trout Master clear of early trouble as LGs Bluestone broke stride on the first turn, and he settled the Glidemaster-Holy Trout gelding sixth along the pegs while LGs Jaxon (Jim Morand) used :27.3 first-quarter speed to take charge from Its Oliver Now (Corey Callahan) on the first turn. LGs Jaxon rated middle splits of :58.4 and 1:29 before the sloppy going began taking its toll and Trout Master mounted his rally around stalled cover. Trout Master collared LGs Jaxon at the sixteenth pole and edged clear by a length in 2:02. Royal Beep Beep (Tim Tetrick) saved third, 3-1/2 lengths farther behind, after passing a weakening Its Oliver Now up the backstretch.
Clifton Green trains Trout Master, now a two-time winner with $71,520 in career earnings, for owner/breeder Dr. William Solomon. He paid $36.40 to win.
The $20,000 DSBF consolation went to Pamela Wagner's Daddy Wags, who overcame mid-race traffic to edge Jetsam by a half-length in 2:04. Trainer John Wagner drove the gelded son of Anders Bluestone-Tipsy Tiara.
The final two-year-old DSBF champion will be determined Wednesday, Nov. 22 at Bally's Dover, when eight rookie pacing fillies square off in the $110,000 Ramona Hubbard, carded as the 10th of 15 races.
Crystal Fashion and driver Tim Tetrick followed second-over cover to win the $25,000 Open Handicap Trot on Tuesday evening.
I Get It (Victor Kirby) worked hard with two moves early in the race and set the tone early, carving out the opening quarter in :27.4. I Get It backed off to a :30 second quarter, reaching the half in :57.4. Veteran JL Cruze (Art Stafford Jr.) moved first-over past the half while Crystal Fashion shadowed second-over. I Get It fended off JL Cruze en route to the three-quarters in 1:26.1 but favoured Crystal Fashion angled three-wide at the top of the stretch and exploded late to win by a neck in 1:55.3 over JL Cruze and I Get It in third.
EVM Racing LLC owns the eight-year-old millionaire son of Cantab Hall-Window Willow who is now a 33-time career winner. Crystal Fashion is trained by Chuck Crissman Jr.
Bally's Dover will host the $260,000 Progress Pace for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers on Wednesday, Nov. 21. The race is scheduled for the 12th race with an estimated off time of 8:20 p.m. There is a Pick-5 carryover of $1,866.00 on Wednesday's card. Post time is at 4:30 p.m.
(With files from Bally's Dover and Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund)