Legacy Racing of Delaware and Nanticoke Racing's Melvin G rolled to his sixth consecutive victory on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at Bally's Dover, leaving his five rivals well behind en route to a 1:57.2 score in the faster of two $28,169 second-round divisions of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund series for two-year-old male trotters.

With two horses breaking stride before the start, Melvin G and driver Jim Morand only had three rivals to contend with at race's outset, and they pushed through at the pegs to seat Perfect Suprise (Pat Berry) in the pocket through a :29 first quarter. After rating a :58.4 half, Melvin G began to pull away from the others, extending his margin to 2-1/2 lengths at three-quarters in 1:28 before passing the winning post five lengths clear of the late-gaining Legend Of Rock (Corey Callahan) while geared down. Perfect Suprise faded to third.

Les Givens trains Melvin G, an E L Platinum-Jersey Punk gelding whose sixth win from nine starts pushed him to $146,382 in lifetime earnings. He paid $2.10 to win as the 1-20 favourite.

In the first division, second-time starter Yale and trainer/driver Art Stafford Jr. narrowly held off Chex Check for a 1:58.4 win.

After finishing third to Melvin G on debut last week, Yale sustained a two-wide push through the first turn to work clear of Wolfpack Cheddar (Callahan) past a :28.4 first quarter before yielding for the pocket with a circuit to go. The E L Platinum-Press Corp colt pulled the pocket past three-quarters in 1:29, reeled in Wolfpack Cheddar and evaded a late push from Chex Check (Tony Morgan) up the open stretch to win in 1:58.4. Bucky Highway (Berry) rallied to finish third over the engulfed Wolfpack Cheddar.

Yale, who paid $6 to win as the 2-1 second choice, competes as a homebred for Stacy Johnson-Stafford.

In addition to Melvin G, Yale, and first-round winner Wolfpack Cheddar, the following horses have qualified for the $110,000 USD DSBF series final, to be held on Nov. 26: Chex Check, Bucky Highway, Legend Of Rock, Delaware Exactly and Perfect Suprise.

Chapheart survived early interference and won the $35,211 Open Trot for driver Pat Berry.

Crystal Fashion (Jason Green) and 2-5 favourite Herodotus (Tim Tetrick) slugged it out early approaching the quarter pole. Herodotus earned the lead after passing the opening quarter in :27.3. Herodotus continued on the engine and led to half comfortably in :56.2 as the field followed in single file. Chapheart chased first-over up the backstretch to challenge Herodotus, and the two trotters raced as a team to the three-quarters in 1:24.3. Both trotters drew off from the field in the stretch, but Chapheart won by two lengths in 1:53.1. Herodotus finished second and Outside The Fire (Allan Davis) was third.

Chapheart, a five-year-old Chapter Seven gelding who paid $9.20 to win, is owned by Michael Casalino Jr. and Dylan Davis Racing. Dylan Davis was the winning trainer.

Tim Tetrick drove five winners on the 14-race card: Shocking Truth ($18.60) for trainer Eddie Dennis, Check On Me ($5.20) and Zappa ($8) for Chuck Crissman Jr., Beggin For Bacon ($14.20) for Jim King Jr., and Renegade Gypsy ($3.40) for Dylan Davis.

The second round of the DSBF two-year-old pacing filly series takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 20, with three $20,000 USD divisions programmed as the first, fourth and sixth events on a 15-race card. Majorca N and Incaseyoudidntknow will square off in the $25,000 USD Mares Open Pace on Wednesday. First post is 4:30 p.m.

The Progress Pace elimination, with a field of 11, will take place as the 10th race on Thursday, Nov. 21. The Progress Pace final, with an estimated purse of $250,000 USD, will be raced on Nov. 27.

(With files from Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund and Dover Downs)