An 11-1 longshot, Sweepea and driver Corey Callahan surged late along the pylons and upset the field in a $70,972 late closing series final for three-year-old colt trotters eligible to the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund stakes at Bally’s Dover on Tuesday, March 31.
Thiskissformaryell (Jim Morand), Topflight Champion (Eddie Dennis) and Sweepea tangled early each for control of the race trotting in the first turn. Thiskissformaryell parked out Topflight Champion through the opening quarter in a quick :27.3. Topflight Champion retreated to the pocket. Thiskissformaryell, the 3-5 betting favourite, then slowed the tempo to a leisurely :57.4 at the half. He then trotted to the three-quarters unchallenged in 1:26.4 while Topflight Champion continued to race in the pocket and Sweepea third along the cones.
At the top of the lane, Thiskissformaryell braced for the challenge of Topflight Champion, who drew alongside. Sweepea benefitted from the duel, gathering momentum along the pylons and surged late to get by both rivals and win by a neck in 1:56.2. Thiskissformaryell finished second, with Topflight Champion finishing third. Sweepea paid $24 for the upset victory.
Swee Pea is owned, trained and bred by Thomas Lail of Swedesboro, New Jersey. The Top Flight Angel-Miss Popeye gelding has won four of nine races lifetime.
"I was confident in his abilities even though he only won in 1:59.1 last start,' noted Callahan. "I wanted to get race position and hoped the two [Thiskissformaryell and Topflight Champion] would battle it out and they did."
Lail commented after the race that, "Corey Callahan drove a perfect race; he had more confidence in my trotter than me."
Later in the card, Fruit Snacker and driver Tony Morgan won consecutive races in the Open Handicap Trot on Tuesday night.
Benjamin Hanover and driver Tim Tetrick left quickest away at the start of the race. Indy Be Quick challenged early but driver Russell Foster gladly accepted the pocket. Fruit Snacker and Tony Morgan floated on the outside then rushed to take the lead from Benjamin Hanover but was parked to the opening quarter in :27.3.
Fruit Snacker, the 6-5 betting favourite, continued to lead the field of quality trotters to the half in 56.1. Duly Resolved (Corey Callahan) angled to the outside and brushed first-over up the backstretch. Arrowhead Hanover (Art Stafford Jr.) tallied a loose second-over on the rim while Benjamin Hanover continued to bide his time in the pocket. Fruit Snacker went into another gear and high fived the three-quarter beam in 1:23.4.
At the top of the stretch, Fruit Snacker put away the challenges of Duly Resolved and Arrowhead Hanover. Benjamin Hanover revved up the engines and was closing fast along the pylons. Fruit Snacker was all heart and dug in to win by a nose. He trotted the mile in 1:52.4 and paid $4.20 for the victory. Benjamin Hanover was a fast-closing second and A Blue Million (Montrell Teague) finished third.
Fruit Snacker is owned by Mark Howard of Federalsburg, Maryland. Will Reynolds trains the four-year-old Dover Dan-First Avenue gelding that has won seven of his 10 races this season.
Wednesday’s the sixth race feature is the $50,950 USD final of the Bally’s Dover late closer series final for three-year-old fillies on the pace. The co-feature on the night is the $25,000 USD Mares Open Handicap Pace in the 12th race.
Bally’s Dover will conclude its live harness racing season on Thursday, April 2. Post time is 4:30 p.m.
(With files from Bally's Dover)