Driver Dexter Dunn darted Rockyroad Hanover off the car and procured a pocket ride in the process to sit and pounce through the open stretch and win the $310,000 Progress Pace Final on Wednesday (Nov. 24) at Dover Downs.
Rockyroad Hanover raced three wide around the first turn as his stablemate, Abuckabett Hanover, pushed from the pylon post for the front with Chase H Hanover also showing speed between horses. He cleared command to a :26.1 first quarter as 3-5 favourite Charlie May steadily rolled alongside and then by to take the front with over a lap to go.
Charlie May clicked the half in :54.1 while Abuckabett Hanover tipped first over out of fourth with Lous Pearlman in tow. Abuckabett Hanover inched forward on the rim to three-quarters in 1:21.3, though Charlie May maintained a stout advantage with Rockyroad Hanover ready from the pocket. Off the corner, Dunn swung Rockyroad Hanover inside of Charlie May and propelled past in the final sixteenth to stop the clock in 1:49.3 while narrowly beating Abuckabett Hanover. Charlie May held third and Lous Pearlman finished fourth.
A three-year-old colt by Captaintreacherous, Rockyroad Hanover won his fifth race from 22 starts this season and his sixth from 25 overall, pushing his earnings to $605,994. Tony Alagna trains the $11 winner for owners Riverview Racing LLC, Brad Grant, Kenneth Jacobs and Plouffe Head and VJ Stabl.