Progress Pace elims provide thrilling finishes

Both Progress Pace eliminations provided thrilling finishes with both heavy favorites prevailing in Grand Circuit harness racing action from Bally’s Dover on Thursday (November 16th).

The first $35,000 elimination was won narrowly by 4 to 5 favorite Stockade Seelster, (State Treasurer) who withstood late surges from both El Rey (Dexter Dunn) and Ervin Hanover (Yannick Gingras) to prevail in a three across finish with the troika finishing noses apart.

Stockade Seelster was sent to the front by driver Dave Miller on the opening turn, wrestling command from first leader El Rey. From there, the Ian Moore trainee set unstressed fractions of :27.2 to the quarter and :55.2 to the half with his five rivals unhurried and content to follow the leader.

First to move was Bugaboo Lou (Tim Tetrick) who was sent first-over from fifth into the teeth of a :27.2 third 1/4. Stockade Seelster held sway to the three quarters in 1:23.0 but he was about to face challenges from pocket sitting El Rey and the three-wide moving Ervin Hanover who slid off the pylons on the final turn and was launched into action by Gingras.

Stockade Seelster dug in and held both of his rivals at bay. Bugaboo Lou held on for fourth to qualify for next week’s final.

STOCKADE SEELSTER REPLAY

Winning driver Dave Miller said his plan was to set the pace from the outset.

“Yeah, you know, it’s been working so far with him,” he said. “He was getting there easy enough. As soon as Dexter got there and everybody else was backing off, then I went on and it worked out alright. He raced very well. I was really happy with him. You had horses coming to him from both sides and he dug in.”

Stockade Seelster won for the seventh time in 18 starts this year and he boosted his lifetime earnings to more than $1.246 million for owners Sally Macdonald of Prince Edward Island and Paul Macdonald of Toronto. He paid $3.40 to win and topped a winning exacta with El Rey that returned $8.00.

The second $35,000 elimination provided another tight finish and another favorite holding on as Cannibal (Sweet Lou) dug in to hold off longshot Why Not Now (Andrew McCarthy) by a diminishing nose in 1:51.0

Why Not Now blasted off the gate and was the first leader, but Yannick Gingras didn’t sit second for long with the public’s 3 to 5 choice Cannibal, who took the lead before reaching the opening quarter in :26.1. There was no movement as Gingras backed the half down to :55.1.

Seven Colors (Dexter Dunn) was the first to move as the field approached the three eighths pole, followed by Moment Is Here (Tim Tetrick). But Cannibal sped past the three quarters in 1:22.4 and gave the outside challengers the cold shoulder.

With only Why Not Now to fend off, Cannibal dug in late to preserve the elimination win. It was three lengths back to Hungry Angel Boy and Moment Is Here got up for fourth to take the last spot in the final.

CANNIBAL REPLAY

Gingras said backing the pace down to the half was helpful. “Yeah, it definitely didn’t hurt for sure, he’s handy, you can do whatever you want with him,” Gingras said. “Definitely the second quarter didn’t hurt, but you know, the horse raced good.”

Gingras also agreed that his colt was brave pacing to the wire. “He was, but you know, I was happy to see the wire,” he said. “Why Not Now on my back had some good pace and it was a good battle to the wire, but thankfully we came out on top.”

Cannibal, trained by Nancy Takter, took his twelfth win in 18 starts this year and he raised his earnings to more than $764,000 for owner Diamond Creek Racing of Pennsylvania.

The first four official finishers from each division return next Wednesday (Nov. 23) for the $260,000 Progress Pace Final.

The $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Final for two-year-old colt and gelding pacers was also contested on this card and it was dominated by prohibitive 1 to 9 favorite Beat Cop (Dragon King).

After leaving third behind Papas Son (Art Stafford Jr.) and Come On Eddie (Montrell Teague), Beat Cop was sent to the front after the leader clicked off the opening quarter in :27.4. He led his rivals through a :56.4 half and 1:25.2 three quarters without facing a serious challenge at which point he turned on the jets on the final turn and grabbed three quick lengths on pocket sitting Papas Son who struggled to keep pace with the leader.

Tetrick put Beat Cop on cruise control in deep stretch and he paced to the wire a five-length victor over Lovenbury (Cody Poliseno), who passed Papas Son for second.

BEAT COP REPLAY

Beat Cop took his ninth win in 12 starts and he has yet to miss the top three. He paid $2.30 to win. The $55,000 winner’s share of the purse boosted his earnings to over $165,000 for owners PT Stable of New Jersey. The rookie colt is trained by Crissy Crissman-Bier.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink