Gaitway Guy ($2.10) maintained the top spot among Delaware-sired three-year-old male pacers with a 1:55 win in his $20,000 first-round division of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund (DSBF) series on Thursday (Nov. 30) at Bally’s Dover. Marshal Dillon ($11) captured the other split in 1:56.
Driver Corey Callahan eased Gaitway Guy off the gate and settled him fourth behind 21-1 shot Delightinhisglory (Tim Tetrick) on the first turn before brushing to control just past a :27.4 first quarter. The Delmarvalous-Brussels Hanover gelding coasted unchallenged through middle splits of :57.2 and 1:26.1 before keeping Delightinhisglory, who pulled the pocket in upper stretch, a length at bay at the winning post. Nottes Mist (Allan Davis) was a ground-saving third after stalking the top pair throughout.
Jeffrey Smith trains Gaitway Guy, an 11-time winner from 15 starts with $239,400 in career earnings, for owner-breeder GTY Stable.
In the other division, Marshal Dillon rode the pocket to victory in his debut for trainer Kevin Lare. Tony Morgan landed the Badlands Hanover-Eagle Molly gelding behind early pacesetter Night Terror (Davis) through a :27.4 first split, and the pair sat chilly while Night Terror contended with a first-over challenge from Georgy T (Montrell Teague) up the backstretch. Marshal Dillon wedged out of the pocket at the eighth pole and burst to the lead, downing Night Terror by a widening length. Cards A Flyin (Callahan) swung three-wide off stalling cover turning for home and finished third.
Briskey Stables LLC owns Marshal Dillon, who has won six times and earned $58,423 in his career.
The second round of the Dover DSBF series for three-year-olds will take place Dec. 4-7, with trotting fillies meeting on Monday, male trotters on Tuesday, pacing fillies on Wednesday and male pacers on Thursday. The top eight point-earners in each division after the second preliminary round will qualify for their respective $110,000 finals the following week.
I Did It Myway Goes Coast-To-Coast In Open
I Did It Myway won wire-to-wire in the $27,500 Blue Hen Open Handicap Pace on Thursday evening.
The millionaire pacer blasted off the wings of the starting gate, but was parked to the quarter. He rung out fractions of :26.2, :54.2 and 1:22.2 as Stag Party (George Napolitano Jr.) moved first-up through the backstretch. I Did It Myway accelerated in the stretch to win by two lengths in 1:49.4. Penzance Hanover (Arthur Stafford Jr.) finished second and Captain Cowboy (Callahan) was third.
Owned by David Hamm, EVM Racing LLC and Glenn Phillips, I Did It Myway (Captaintreacherous-Flyme To The Moon) is trained by Chuck Crissman Jr. and was driven by Tim Tetrick.
Tetrick had five driving wins on the card.
Bally's Dover races on a Monday through Thursday schedule with a post time of 4:30 p.m.
(With files from Dover Downs and the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund)