Gaitway Guy, Night Terror Repeat In DSBF Prelims

After winning their respective opening-round divisions last week, Gaitway Guy and Night Terror stamped themselves as the horses to beat in the $100,000 final of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund series for two-year-old pacing colts and geldings at Bally's Dover with matching 1:55 wins in their respective $20,000 second-round preliminary divisions on Monday.

The GTY Stable's homebred Gaitway Guy remains undefeated in his young career, extending his record to a perfect six-for-six with an easy victory over five rivals as the 1-20 favourite. Corey Callahan floated the Delmarvalous-Brussels Hanover gelding into a joint third entering the first turn, and he kept him outside of rivals before clearing Delightinhisglory (driven by Tim Tetrick) just past a :28.1 first quarter. Once in control, Gaitway Guy was unchallenged, coasting through middle splits of :56.4 and 1:26.3 before sprinting off at first asking in upper stretch to beat Delightinhisglory by 3-3/4 lengths. Bad Boy Too (Victor Kirby) inherited third in upper stretch after Luck Is A Lynx (Montrell Teague), who tracked the top pair for most of the mile, broke stride.

Jeff Smith trains Gaitway Guy, who paid $2.10 to win and will head into next week's series final with $92,400 in career earnings.

Night Terror likewise swept his Dover preliminary heats, but had to work a bit harder to secure victory. In line to Roger Plante Jr., the son of Badlands Hanover-Wild Dream pushed clear from post five to establish the lead over even-money favourite Ajayi (Montrell Teague) through a :27.3 first quarter, rated a :30 second sectional, but then faced pressure up the backstretch and past a 1:26.1 three-quarters from Sweetest Swing (Tetrick). After parrying his outside challenger, Night Terror dug in late to repel a fresh threat from Ajayi by a half length. Badlands Casino (Kirby) finished a ground-saving third.

Steve LeBlanc trains six-time winner Night Terror, who returned $5.20 to win and who has banked $83,828 for LeBlanc Racing Inc., William Lutz Jr, Count De Money Stable and Ronald Jones.

In the final division, Nozy Lynx (Teague) rallied from last to spring a 23-1 upset, just nabbing fives-on favourite Cards A Flyin (Art Stafford Jr.) in 1:57.4.

While Cards A Flyin traveled on an uncontested lead through splits of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27.3, Montrell Teague moved Nozy Lynx second-over from the back of the five-horse field to follow live cover from Dab Me Up (Trae Porter) into the far turn. The Southwind Lynx-Nozy Neighbor ridgling circled three-wide off the home turn as his cover stalled, and lifted to just nose out Cards A Flyin at the winning post. Marshal Dillon (Corey Callahan) finished third, beaten a half-length, after riding the pocket throughout.

Trainer Clyde Francis co-owns Nozy Lynx, who paid $49.60 in his maiden-breaking effort, with breeder George Teague Jr Inc.

The Dover DSBF series culminates next Monday (Nov. 21), and the final will be open to the eight highest point earners from both preliminaries. They are: Gaitway Guy, Night Terror, Delightinhisglory, Nozy Lynx, Ajayi, Cards A Flying, Luck Is A Lynx and Badlands Casino.

Second-round DSBF action from Bally's Dover continues on Tuesday (Nov. 15) with two-year-old trotters squaring off in two divisions each for colts and fillies. Early non-wagering events begin at 4 p.m.; first post for the 15-race pari-mutuel card is 4:30 p.m.

(Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund)