Grand Circuit action and DSBF Final at Dover

The prestigious Grand Circuit of harness racing heads to Bally’s Dover this Thursday (Nov. 16) with two $35,000 elimination divisions of the Progress Pace for three-year-old colts plus the $110,000 Final of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund for two-year-old pacing colts.

The first four official finishers in both of the Progress Pace eliminations races will return to Bally’s Dover for the $260,000 Final on Wednesday, Nov. 22.

The first division of the Progress Pace is the 8^th race headlined by Stockade Seelster (State Treasurer) from post two for driver David Miller.

Stockade Seelster will not have to face rival Confederate, who he has finished second or third to in his last three starts. A 1:48.4 winner this year for trainer Dr. Ian Moore and owners Sally MacDonald and Paul MacDonald. He has earnings this year of $542,270 and is the 2-1 morning line favorite.

Other contenders in the field include El Ray (post 1), Ervin Hanover (post 3) and the lone return winner in the field, Bugaboo Lou (post 5), who is on a two-race win streak for trainer Ron Burke, winning his last start at Harrah’s Philadelphia with a lifetime mark of 1:50.3.

The second division is the 10^th race where Diamond Creek Racing’s homebred, Cannibal (Sweet Lou) is the 5/2 favorite from post three for driver Yannick Gingras. Trained by Nancy Takter, Cannibal sports a record of 1:48.1 this season with an impressive 11 wins in 17 starts and earnings of $623,442.

Cannibal has won most of his starts when not racing against Confederate. He was second to Confederate in his last start in the $170,850 Matron Stakes at Bally’s Dover last week.

Another standout in the race is Seven Colors (post 2) for driver Dexter Dunn. He has won seven times this year with earnings of $685,220 for trainer Andrew Harris. He prepped for the Progress Pace with a 1:53.3 qualifying win last week.

Two horses are entered on winning streaks. They are Tip Top Cat (post 1) for driver David Miller. He ships to Bally’s Dover off a 1:51.4 triumph at Cumberland Run in Kentucky. Moment Is Here (post 7) is one of two horses (Why Not Now is the other) that paid a $25,000 supplemental fee to enter the Progress Pace and last week at Harrah’s Philadelphia won in 1:50 for driver Tim Tetrick.

The 12^th race $110,000 final of the DSBF has two geldings who are seeking to sweep the series on Thursday.

Beat Cop (Dragon King) goes from post two for driver Tim Tetrick. He won both his preliminary rounds with 1:54 and 1:54.3 triumphs for trainer Crissy Crissman-Bier. Earlier this season Beat Cop also swept the prelims and $110,000 final at Harrington Raceway.

Papas Son (Papa Rey) is the other gelding seeking a sweep of the series in the final. He starts from post six for driver Art Stafford, Jr. and in his last start he took a lifetime mark of 1:53.3 in the series, his fourth win in just eight lifetime starts.

Other contenders include Cavalli Island (post 7), Shocking Truth (post 8) and the third return winner in the field, Lovenbury (post 5), a 1:55 winner in the series.

First race post time at Bally’s Dover is 4:30 pm. For a free race program, click here.

by Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink