He may have been a late bloomer in this year's three-year-old crop — or maybe just overshadowed earlier in the year by stablemate Tall Dark Stranger — but No Lou Zing ($5.40) has surely come into his own. Following a narrow defeat to Cattlewash in last week's Matron Stakes, the son of Sweet Lou had the upper hand in their rematch in Wednesday's (Nov. 18) $35,000 Progress Pace elimination at Dover Downs.

Dexter Dunn was aggressive early with No Lou Zing, sprinting to the lead from post 2 before ceding control to Cattlewash (David Miller) at the end of a :26.4 quarter. But as soon as he yielded to his rival, No Lou Zing swung off the pegs to reclaim control and rated a :55.2 half before throwing down the gauntlet.

With Ontario standout Tattoo Artist (Yannick Gingras) mounting a first-over challenge up the far side, No Lou Zing used a :26.4 third split to maintain his advantage. Tattoo Artist faded on the far turn after applying stout pressure, forcing Fortify (Tim Tetrick) three-wide and availing Catch The Fire (Mike Wilder) — who had been locked in while three back on the peg line — room to challenge off the corner for home. No Lou Zing rose to repel two late challengers — runner-up Cattlewash up the open stretch and third-place finisher Catch The Fire in the two-path — and win by a half length in a lifetime mark of 1:49.1.

Nancy Takter trains seven-time winner No Lou Zing for the 3 Brothers Stables, Rojan Stables and Caviart Farms.

Fourth-place finisher Fortify will join the top three in next Wednesday's (Nov. 25) $325,000 Progress Pace final, as will Captain Kirk, Captain Barbossa, Manticore and Tattoo Artist, who finished fifth through eighth, respectively.

Earlier in the card, two-year-old pacing fillies contested three $20,000 second-round divisions of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund series.

Littlebagoftricks took top honours with a 1:55.4 score over Stealing Bases after also winning in the first preliminary round. Russell Foster drove the daughter of Roddys Bags Again and Bit Of Trick for trainer Josh Green, who shares ownership with Richard Lombardo and Charles Cochran III.

Another daughter of Roddys Bags Again — Hey Hey Dbay — swept her preliminary divisions as well after posting a 1:57.2 win in line to Victor Kirby. Trainer Bryan Truitt and breeder James Magno share ownership in the filly out of Fat Lady Returns.

Cinders Baby completed the trio of DSBF winners on the evening with a 1:58.4 effort under trainer-driver Art Stafford Jr. The daughter of Rockabillie and Cinderella campaigns for Eli Beiler, Clint Crellin and William Masterson.

In the sub-featured $20,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace, former Woodbine contender Sunny Dee ($4.80) and Dunn controlled the terms throughout and dug in late to repel a challenge from pocket rival Shes Pukka N (Tony Morgan) by just over a length in 1:51. It was the first win for the four-year-old daughter of Sunshine Beach in four starts since being acquired by the Let It Ride Stables and Bottom Line Racing. Mike Hall trains the 15-time winner.

(with files from the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund)