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It was a night for upsets at Dover Downs Wednesday as all three of the harness racing feature events, including the $310,000 Progress Pace Final for three-year-olds, saw none of the race favorites make it to victory lane.
The 12th race Progress Pace, the final Grand Circuit event of the 2021 racing season, saw Rockyroad Hanover (Dexter Dunn) on the front early for driver Dexter Dunn with Chase H Hanover (Matt Kakaley) taking the two-hole spot as they raced to the opening quarter mile in :26.1.
Already on the move was the 6/5 race favorite, Charlie May (Tim Tetrick) and they cleared to the lead before the half mile in :54.1. Then it was Abuckabett Hanover (Andy McCarthy) taking up the chase first-over, giving Lou’s Pearlman (Yannick Gingras) second-over cover to the three-quarters in 1:21.3.
On the final turn, Lou’s Pearlman swept three-wide, Abuckabett Hanover was game first-over and then in the stretch, Dunn sent Rockyroad Hanover to the passing lane. They scooted by Charlie May and then held off Abuckabett Hanover to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:49.3. Charlie May did hold for third place.
Rockyroad Hanover, who paid $11.00 to win, notched his fifth win of the season. The colt by Captaintreacherous, who had not won a race since winning the Cane Pace on August 7, is trained by Tony Alagna, who also trains Abuckabett Hanover. Rockyroad Hanover is co-owned by Riverview Racing, Brad Grant, Ken Jacobs and the Plouffe Head & VJ Stable.
ROCKYROAD HANOVER REPLAY
20-1 Upset in $100,000 DSBF Final
Making a break right at the start of the race, undefeated and 7/5 race favorite Shabby Chic (Tim Tetrick) was out of the 10th race $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Final for two-year-old pacing fillies.
That left the field of seven rivals all vying in contention. It was 20-1 Odds On Surfer Gal and driver Corey Callahan first on the lead with Bank The Win (Victor Kirby) sitting second to the opening quarter in :27.4. Then a quick quarter move by Kirby put Bank The Win on the lead as they sped by the half mile marker in :57.1.
Then in the backstretch approached the three-quarters, Gaitway Gal and driver Pat Berry took their best shot with a first-over move, pressing the leader to a 1:25.4 three-quarters.
As they started down the stretch, Callahan went to the passing lane with Odds On Surfer Gal and blew by Bank The Win, then held off Gaitway Gal to win by a half-length in 1:54.3. Bank The Win was third.
It was a lifetime mark in only her third lifetime start for Odds On Surfer Gal. The daughter of Badlands Hanover, trained by Tony Alagna was bred and is owned by Odds On Racing of Boca Raton, FL. She paid a whopping $43.60 to win for the second time in her career.
ODDS ON SURFER GAL REPLAY
Mack also pulled off an upset at odds of 12-1 in winning the 11th race $27,500 Blue Hen Open Handicap Pace. Leaving from post six for driver Mike Cole, Mack took early command to the first-quarter in :26.3, then let Betterthanthebeach (Allan Davis) take command.
Mack would sit the two-hole trip, then come back in the passing lane to win by two lengths in 1:51.4 over Slick Tony (Montrell Teague) with Betterthanthebeach third. A four-year-old gelded son of Mach Three, it was the ninth win this year for Mack. He is trained by Joseph Columbo for George & Tina Dennis Racing of Wyoming, paying $27.80 to win. Race favorite Scuola Hanover (Art Stafford, Jr.) was parked first-over and did not hit the board.
MACK REPLAY
For full race results, click here.
By Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink
