Sky Marshal, who upset Super Fly to win last November’s $100,000 two-year-old male trotting title, did it again, scoring a surprising 10-1 upset in 1:59.3 to take the second $20,000 preliminary leg of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) series for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings on a rainy and chilly Tuesday (March 20) over an off track at Dover Downs.

In addition to winning the first race on the card, driver Carlo Poliseno won both ends of the daily double steering Cicadas Song, a former DSBF champion, to victory in the second race in 1:57.3.

Veteran horseman Poliseno got away third with Sky Marshal as Super Fly (Art Stafford Jr.) cut out the leading fractions. On the final turn, Poliseno pulled Sky Marshal out, quickly engaged the leader, and blew past en route to his first win of the year in two starts. Poliseno and Jane Dunavant own the CR Commando-CR Penny Lane colt, who now has won $86,000 for his eight starts. Super Fly finished second with Bother Kenny (Tim Tetrick) third.

Theresademoninme won the $30,000 Open Handicap Trot with a powerful display. Jonathan Roberts, handicapped with outside post 7 in the week’s top trot, moved the Kadabra-Tortoni gelding out of third heading to the half and took the lead midway up the backstretch from race favourite Meladys Monet before steadily moving away from the field. Theresademoninme won easily by open lengths in 1:54.2 for trainer Dylan Davis, who owns the seven-year-old with Mike Casalino Jr. I Like My Boss (Allan Davis) edged Celebrity Pegasus (Stafford Jr.) for place. Meladys Monet was fourth.

Theresademoninme (Jonathan Roberts) wins the $30,000 Open Handicap Trot stoutly over sloppy going

Holiday Promise, guided by Tony Morgan, held off Torkil in 1:56 to win a $16,000 trot. Euro Gap (Corey Callahan) was the show horse. Howard Taylor and Rich Lombardo own Holiday Promise, a brown four-year-old daughter of Holiday Road-Promisemespring, one of two winners trained by Josh Green.

Tim Tetrick drove Go Byem to his second straight victory in a $15,000 winners-over trot. Blownoutofthewater (Morgan) was runner-up with Filled Donut (Stafford Jr.) third. Go Byem’s win was the 21st for the Delaware-bred Impel Hanover-Go Sassy Go gelding, who now has banked $226,284 for owners Delbert Cain and Nanticoke Racing.

Tim Tetrick, trainer-driver Carlo Poliseno, trainer Josh Green and owner Jane Dunavant scored doubles on the card.

Happy Giggles and Mike Cole were placed first in the $16,000 mares pace, as first-place finisher Foolish Heart was disqualified for interference at the quarter. George and Tina Dennis own Happy Giggles, a Rock N Roll Heaven-Sweethearts Dance filly. Miss Apples (Ross Wolfenden) was placed second and Keystone Izzy (Russell Foster) was elevated to third.

A field of nine converge in Wednesday’s (March 21) featured $31,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace, led by Bettorhaveanother, Sweet Bobbie, Divas Image and Nerida Fanco N. The Wednesday card also features two DSBF preliminary events.

Next Thursday (March 29), the 2017-2018 Dover Downs meet comes a close with all four DSBF $100,000 finals, featuring the top eight point-getters in each of the four divisions, on the program.

(Dover Downs)