Yale and Legend Of Rock became the third and fourth horses, respectively, to register preliminary wins in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series for three-year-old male trotters at Bally's Dover, taking their respective $27,778 second-round divisions on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

In the second division, Legend Of Rock and driver Corey Callahan stalked from midfield as Delaware Xactly (Jason Thompson) took over after a :28.2 quarter and trotted a :58.1 half. Legend Of Rock then sustained a first-over push to wear the pacesetter down past the 1:27.4 three-quarters and dug in to fend off a late bid from runner-up Royalty Star (Troy Beyer) by a neck to win in 1:57.4. Bucky Highway (Ross Wolfenden) finished third.

Nick Callahan trains Legend Of Rock, an E L Platinum-Rock The Game gelding, who has won five of 22 starts and earned $140,995 while competing as a homebred for Dolly Callahan's Breakaway Racing. As the 6-5 favourite, Legend Of Rock paid $4.40 to win.

In the first split, a non-betting pre-card race, Yale (Art Stafford Jr.) controlled fractions of :28.3, 1:00.4 and 1:30.1 before using a :28.2 closing quarter to fend off a late push from first-round winner Melvin G (Tim Tetrick) by a half-length in 1:58.3. Chex Check (Montrell Teague), another first-round winner, faded to third after gapping the pocket on the final turn.

Yale, an E L Platinum-Press Corp colt, competes as a homebred for owner/trainer Stacy Johnson-Stafford. He has won five of eight starts and banked $151,789.

The eight qualifiers for the $110,000 USD DSBF final for three-year-old male trotters on Tuesday, Dec. 16. are: Melvin G, Yale, Chex Check, Legend Of Rock, Royalty Star, Wolfpack Cheddar, Bucky Highway and Delaware Xactly.

In the $34,722 Open Handicap Trot, Speed Away was able to hold off a fast-closing Last Glow to prevail in a photo finish.

Last Glow (Jack Parker Jr.), the even-money favourite, left alertly at the start while Indy Be Quick (Montrell Teague) settled into the pocket and Speed Away bided his time in third early. However, Corey Callahan called upon his trotter Speed Away nearing the quarter in :28.2, and the gelding sprinted past Last Glow, who rarely gives up a lead. Speed Away continued on a mission and led the field of quality trotters to the half in a moderate :57.4. 

Indy Be Quick braved the chilly temperatures and moved first-over up the backstretch, racing just off the wheel of Speed Away to three-quarters in 1:25.4. The backfield was in motion when Indy Be Quick started to weaken after being parked out, with Navy Blue (Art Stafford Jr.) circling three-wide and Somebody Special (Tim Tetrick) thundering four-wide at the top of the stretch. Last Glow saved ground along the pylons and surged late but ran out of racing room as Speed Away reached home in time to win by a nose in 1:55.1. Somebody Special rolled late to finish third, beaten a neck.

Speed Away is owned by Breakaway Racing and Yorwollahan Racing Team. Nick Callahan trains the seven-year-old son of Father Patrick-All The Time, who is now 24-for-98 lifetime. The gelding paid $15.60 for the victory.

Nick Callahan, Corey's father, praised the driver's decision to take the lead.

"I was a little surprised when Jack Parker Jr. and Last Glow took back," he said. "[Corey's move] was the right thing to do."

Sophomore pacing fillies conclude the preliminary stage of their DSBF series on Wednesday, with 24 entrants split into three $20,000 USD divisions, carded as Races 2, 3 and 6 on a 15-race card at Bally's Dover. The card also features a $25,000 USD Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace, in which Ballast, last week’s winner, takes on Ragtime Red and Huntress. First post is 4:30 p.m.

(DSBF & Dover Downs)