Off the strength of a 1:52.2 win in the second preliminary round, Captain Pete capped a sweep of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series for three-year-old male pacers with a 1:52.4 win over Beat Cop in Thursday's (Dec. 19) $157,143 series championship at Bally's Dover.
In line to Allan Davis, Captain Pete asserted himself to force Beat Cop (driven by Tim Tetrick) into the pocket amid a :26.3 first-quarter duel. The pair traveled one-two through a :56 half before Lovenbury (Troy Beyer), who was bothered by a breaking Boris Badenov on the first turn, began a long first-over advance out of fifth to press the pace midway up the backstretch.
Captain Pete held his ground through the far turn and, after parrying Lovenbury's challenge, dug in through the stretch to keep pocket rival Beat Cop a neck at bay at the winning post. LL Julio (Cody Poliseno) finished third, beaten 1-1/2 lengths, after saving ground behind the top pair.
Jason Johnson trains Captain Pete, an 11-time winner now with over quarter-million in career earnings from 17 starts, for Mulligan Stables, Calcutta Stable and Denise Davis. As the 1-5 favourite, the Roddys Bags Again-Capitana gelding paid $2.60 to win.
Davis was also in the bike of the 4-5 favourite Itsrockandroll A as he drove first-over to victory in the $39,286 Blue Hen Handicap.
Sweet Angel Boy (Tony Morgan) rushed to the top through a quarter of :26.2 before leading to the half unchallenged in :54.4 while Itsrockandroll A stalked from third. The betting favorite pulled to the outside on the backstretch, brushing into second and in pursuit of the leader who led to three-quarters in 1:23.
Itsrockandroll A pulled alongside Sweet Angel Boy and put the pacesetter away at the top of the stretch. Leave It To Leo (Corey Callahan) presented one final challenge from second-over, but could not reach Itsrockandroll A who crossed the wire first by three parts of a length in 1:51.1. Wehadababyetzaboy (Jason Green) finished third.
Itsrockandroll A is trained by Donald Brittingham for owners Elizabeth and Bret Brittingham.
Tim Tetrick drove five winners on the night to lead all drivers, remaining hot on the week after driving eight winners on Tuesday (Dec. 17) and four on Wednesday (Dec. 18).
The $28,571 DSBF consolation saw Bryan Truitt Jr.'s Rowdy Dragon spring a 14-1 upset, clearing from post seven through a :27.2 first quarter before yielding to 1-9 favourite Papas Son and emerging at the top of the stretch to overpower the pacesetter by a widening 1-1/2 lengths in 1:55.1. Russell Foster drove the Roddys Bags Again-Delightful Play gelding, who paid $30.40 to win, for trainer Bryan Truitt.
Live racing at Bally’s Dover will be dark from Dec. 20 thru Dec. 29. Live harness racing will resume on Monday Dec. 30, post time is 4:30 p.m.
(With files from DSBF / Dover Downs)