Deborah Warnick's homebred Royal Beep Beep ($2.20) solidified himself as a likely favourite in next week's Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series final for two-year-old male trotters with a decisive 1:59.3 score in the first of two $20,000 second-round preliminary events on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at Bally's Dover.
In line to Tim Tetrick, Royal Beep Beep won a three-horse battle to the first turn, pushing through from the pole position to seat LGs Bluestone (Art Stafford Jr.) in the pocket through a :29.2 first quarter. The Yankee Royalty-Beep Beep Bye Bye gelding travelled uncontested through middle splits of :59.2 and 1:29.4 before gradually extending his margin of victory over LGs Bluestone to three lengths. Its Oliver Now (Corey Callahan) finished third.
After sweeping both of his preliminary divisions, Royal Beep Beep has won four of eight career starts for trainer Jason Skinner and has earned $61,368.
LGs Jaxon ($2.80) and driver Jim Morand also prevailed at odds-on, controlling fractions of :29.2 and 1:00 before parrying a challenge from Pretty Two (Carlo Poliseno) at three-quarters in 1:29.2 and edging clear to win by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:59.2. First-round winner Trout Master (Pat Berry) finished third.
Now a four-time winner in six starts, LGs Jaxon has earned $91,000 for Teresa Givens' Nanticoke Racing. Les Givens trains the Rolls Blue Chip-Miss Jocelyn gelding.
In addition to two-time preliminary winner Royal Beep Beep and single-leg winners LGs Jaxon and Trout Master, the following horses have qualified for the $110,000 DSBF series final, to be held next Tuesday, Nov. 21: LGs Bluestone, Pretty Two, Its Oliver Now, Pulsator and Workslikeacharm.
Black Hope and his 21-year-old reinsman, Cole Olsen, upset the field in the $25,000 Open Handicap Trot on Tuesday.
Crystal Fashion and JL Cruze left alertly as they approached the opening panel. Crystal Fashion designated himself the pacesetter as he posted an opening panel in :27.4 and half in :57.1. Black Hope moved off the rail from fifth in the front of the stands, picking up cover from Muscle Dynasty. With a misstep from his cover, Black Hope was left first-over on the outside en route to the three-quarters in 1:25.2. Olsen sent his charge into high gear on the attack for Crystal Fashion. In deep stretch, Black Hope broke away to win by a half length in 1:54.4. JL Cruze (Art Stafford Jr.) finished second with Crystal Fashion (Tim Tetrick) third.
Black Hope, a four-year-old Bar Hopping-Blacksirenpedia gelding, is owned and trained by Darren Olsen.
Tetrick had five driving wins on the card.
On Thursday, Nov. 16, there will be two divisions of the Progress Pace elimination races. The first four finishers in each elimination race will return for the $260,000 Progress Pace final on Wednesday, Nov. 22.
Dover Downs races Monday through Thursday with a first post of 4:30 p.m.
(With files from the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund and Bally's Dover)