Heavy favourite Dandy Ideal and longshot Madden Oaks used opposite tactics to win their $42,296 Progress Pace eliminations for three-year-old pacers on Thursday, Nov. 20 at Dover Downs.

Jason Bartlett timed the gate with Dandy Ideal to shoot to the lead from the inside post in the first elimination, and the New York Sire Stakes champion was never challenged through :26, :54.4, and 1:21.3 fractions. He then finished powerfully in :27.3 to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:49.1 over pocket-tripping Railroad Station (Yannick Gingras). Fallout (Tim Tetrick) finished third, and Th Colby (Scott Zeron) closed for fourth.

Dandy Ideal will head into the final aiming to add another highlight to a seasonal resume that includes victories in the Hempt Memorial, Jennas Beach Boy, and Empire Breeders Classic. Trained by Hunter Oakes, the gelding is now 11-for-18 on the year and has won 16 times and earned $1,457,723 in 28 career starts. The son of American Ideal-Ok Heavenly is owned by Susan Oakes, Thaddeus Weir, and Alan Johnston. He paid $2.20 to win.

Madden Oaks fired home from last at three-quarters and was just in time to win the second elimination by a nose in 1:50.3 at 15-1. The colt slid back into fifth for Simon Allard while Prince Hal Hanover (Todd McCarthy) went the long way to the lead in a :26.2 quarter. Madden Oaks was shuffled to last through :54.1 and 1:22.1 middle fractions but drifted three-wide entering the final turn and began to charge towards Papis Rocket (Gingras), who went around Prince Hal Hanover on the bend. Madden Oaks rocketed down the lane and eclipsed a tough Papis Rocket on the line for the victory, his first since August. Captain Optimistic (Zeron) and Fusion (Dexter Dunn) went up the pylons for third and fourth, respectively, with Swingtown (Tetrick) fifth.

Madden Oaks earned his sixth win of the season in 17 starts for trainer Cameron Capone and owners Samir Tawil, Paul Kautz, Alexander Henn, and Nathan Fullmer. The colt, who won the Meadowlands Pace earlier in the season and was a narrow second in the North America Cup, rebounded from losses in the Breeders Crown and Matron in his past two outings. The son of Huntsville-Hard Eight is now eight-for-20 lifetime with $960,116 in earnings. His backers received $33.20.

The $274,720 Progress Pace Final will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 26. There will be eight horses on the gate and one trailer. The field for the race is below.

$274,720 Progress Pace
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Swingtown - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke 
2. Fusion - Dexter Dunn - Brett Pelling
3. Madden Oaks - Simon Allard - Cameron Capone
4. Captain Optimistic - Scott Zeron - Nancy Takter
5. Railroad Station - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
6. Papis Rocket - Tim Tetrick - Ron Burke
7. Th Colby - Tim Tetrick - Ron Burke
8. Dandy Ideal - Jason Bartlett - Hunter Oakes
9. Fallout - Tim Tetrick - Ron Burke
AE1. Beach Club Monty - Scott Zeron - Brett Pelling
AE2. Manolete - Andrew McCarthy - Bruce Saunders

Watch Em Win made every call a winning one in the $154,930 final of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund series for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings, asserting his dominance up the backstretch en route to a career-best 1:51.2 score.

In line to Tetrick for trainer Ron Burke, Watch Em Win yielded briefly to C Millertimeagain (Corey Callahan) entering the first turn before brushing to control through a :26.3 opening quarter. Once clear, Watch Em Win backed the half down to :56 before sprinting clear of his seven rivals up the backstretch to three-quarters in 1:23. The Hes Watching-Winners Over colt had built up a four-length lead on C Millertimeagain off the corner for home before Tetrick took him in hand and eased him to a 1-1/4-length victory. Slugger On Deck (Allan Davis) finished third after stalking the top pair throughout the entire mile.

Watch Em Win has won eight of 12 races and earned $259,472 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services Inc., Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. He paid $2.10 to win as the 1-9 favourite

In the $28,169 DSBF consolation, Iheartmum forged clear of K Ds Song (Montrell Teague) at the quarter for Art Stafford Jr. before steadily drawing clear late to stop the timer in 1:54 and win by 3-3/4 lengths for owner/trainer/breeder Janet Davis. The Badlands Hanover-Iheartquestionmark gelding paid $3.40 to win as the 3-5 favourite.

Muskateer Hanover won the overnight feature, wiring the field to capture the $40,141 Blue Hen Open Handicap Pace. The favoured gelding fired the first shot and sprinted to an early lead for Allan Davis, reaching the opening quarter in a blistering :25.3. He rolled to the half in :53.4 and hit his best stride to the three quarters in 1:21.1. Muskateer Hanover maintained the lead in the stretch and was 1-1/4 lengths the best in 1:50 over pocket-sitter Wehadababyetzaboy (Gingras). Itsrockandroll A (Tetrick) was third.

Muskateer Hanover, owned by Mulligan Stables and Calcutta Stables LLC, is now 19-for-78 lifetime with a bankroll of $690,304. Jason Johnson trains the five-year-old Sweet Lou-Marinade Hanover gelding. The win price was $4.80.

Jason Bartlett drove four winners on the 15-race card.

The next card at Dover Downs on Monday will feature the $110,000 USD DSBF Final for two-year-old fillies on the trot. The race is named in honour of the late Marv Bachrad, who served as Publicity Director at Bally’s Dover and has been inducted in harness racing’s Communicators Hall of Fame. There will be a pentafecta carryover worth $1,101 into the card. First post is set for 4:30 p.m.

(Standardbred Canada & DSBF & Dover Downs; photo of Madden Oaks winning on Nov. 20)