Canadian-owned and trained sophomore pacing colt Sunshine Beach overcame an outside post position to win the $284,160 Progress Pace at Dover Downs on Sunday evening.
Leaving from post eight, Sunshine Beach and driver John Campbell dropped back to fourth while insider Dedis Dragon (Yannick Gingras) and Emeritus Maximus (Simon Allard) battled on top through a :26.3 opening quarter.
Emeritus Maximus eventually cleared in front of the grandstand, but that lead was short-lived as Campbell quickly sent the 3-5 favourite to the top.
Sunshine Beach led the field through middle splits of :54.2 and 1:22.3 while keeping first over Wake Up Peter (Scott Zeron) at bay and then took off down the stretch to secure the 1:50.3 victory.
The rest of the field spread across the track three lengths behind in a race for place with Clint Westwood (Corey Callahan) edging out Dedis Dragon, Progress elimination winner Twilight Bonfire (Tim Tetrick), Emeritus Maximus, Wake Up Peter, and Ronny Bugatti (Jason Bartlett). Early breaker Good Day Mate (Matt Kakaley) completed the field.
"He's a really top horse and to overcome the eight-hole, it's really hard to do," noted Campbell in the winner's circle.
The Somebeachsomewhere-Light Up colt is trained by Mark Steacy of Lansdowne, Ont. and owned by Hudson Standardbred Stable Inc. of Hudson, Que., Conrad Leber of Montreal, Que., and Diane Bertrand of Edmonton, Alta. He's put together an impressive sophomore campaign with 16 top three finishes, including eight wins, in 20 starts for earnings of $913,702.
"He was going up against Captaintreacherous most of the year," said Campbell. "It's a tough division and his consistency, especially at this time of year, is remarkable."
Sunshine Beach defeated Captaintreacherous in the Battle of the Brandywine in a 1:47.4 world record mile at Pocono Downs earlier this year and was a runner-up to the division leader in the Breeders Crown. He also boasts victories in the Somebeachsomewhere Stakes and Bluegrass Series.
Sunshine Beach paid $3.20 to win.
Dover Downs also hosted a pair of $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Stakes for two-year-old pacers. Garnet Marrow's homebred Seboomook Fool Yah won the filly final in 1:55.4 for driver Allan Davis and trainer Wayne Givens while Cavalli Pazzi Stables' homebred gelding Casino Bags Carlo took a new mark of 1:54.2 in the colt final for trainer/driver Vince Copeland.