Elite Awards was the fastest divisional winner in Thursday’s Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) splits for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers at Dover Downs.
$20,000 Three-Year-Old Male Pace preliminaries, with Casino Bags Carlo and Go Big Spinder, the others while Emeritus Maximus takes the $30,000 Preferred Handicap on a speed-filled Thursday, March 28 at Dover Downs.
George Dennis took Elite Awards to the front in the $20,000 affair and continued on for a 1:54.2 success. Art Retreat (Tim Tetrick) came on strong to finish second ahead of Hawker (Jeff Fout).
It was the second straight victory for Elite Awards, who built his career record to nine wins and a second in 10 races. Karen Walls owns the Powerful Toy-Silk Slips gelding trained by Dave Rearic. The pacer has banked $114,225 to date.
The second DSBF prelim was all Casino Bags Carlo as Vince Copeland sailed out of Post 7 and never looked back in a 1:54.4 decision. West Star Director (Ben Stafford Jr.) flew down the lane to finish second ahead of By A Noggin (Vic Kirby).
Last November’s $100,000 DSBF Final winner made his seasonal debut in this one for Cavalli Pazzi Stables. The Roddys Bags Again-Casino Bus soph gelding won for the sixth time in his career and now has banked $108,911 in his two seasons of racing.
Go Big Spinder rushed down the passing lane to score a 1:54.4 triumph in the other $20,000 DSBF prelim with Ron Pierce in the bike. Bobbies Power Play (Bryan Truitt) was second with front-stepping Lewiebyalength (Callahan) finishing third.
Virginia Louthan, bred, owns and trains the No Spin Zone-Davids Art colt, who posted his second straight win and his fourth of the year.
Tom Cancelliere’s big buy of last winter, Emeritus Maximus, stepped up to the $30,000 Preferred pace and Ron Pierce did the rest taking the Rocknroll Hanover-Eternitys Delight four-year-old right to the top and made all quarters winning ones for a 1:50.1 conquest. Lindwood Player (Callahan) charged down the lane to finish second, with Feel Like A Fool (Dennis) the show horse.
The win was the third consecutive tally for the Tom Cancelliere trainee.
The fastest clocking on the card came in a $17,500 conditioned affair when KDM Stable’s Tarpon Hanover made his first local start a 1:49.2 lifetime best. David Miller guided the Badlands Hanover-Tarport Herald four-year-old to his second straight win and his third of the year. The Nick Surick trainee defeated Just A Jolt (Tim Tetrick) and EZ Noah (Pierce).
(Dover Downs)