Favorites fall, Longshot flies – Progress Pace field decided

DOVER, Del. — Matron Stakes winner Dandy Ideal (American Ideal) and Meadowlands Pace winner Madden Oaks (Huntsville) punched their tickets to next week’s Grade 2 Progress Pace, for 3-year-olds, with victories in their respective $35,000 eliminations on Thursday (Nov. 20) at Bally’s Dover.

In the first elimination, Dandy Ideal and driver Jason Bartlett held their ground at the pegs early to seat challengers Railroad Station (driven by Yannick Gingras) and Fallout (Tim Tetrick) into second and third, respectively, through a :26 first quarter. The American Ideal-OK Heavenly gelding traveled uncontested on the lead through middle splits of :54.4 and 1:21.3 before widening his advantage off the home turn and defeating Railroad Station by 2-1/2 lengths in 1:49.1 under mild encouragement. Fallout narrowly held third over the ground-saving TH Colby (Scott Zeron).

DANDY IDEAL REPLAY

Hunter Oakes trains 16-time winner Dandy Ideal, who paid $2.20 to win as the overwhelming 1-10 favorite, for Susan Oakes, Thaddeus Wier and Alan Johnston.

The second elimination saw Madden Oaks take a more eventful route to victory, rallying from well off the pace to just nab Papi’s Rocket by a nose in 1:50.3.

In line to Simon Allard, Madden Oaks came away fifth as Prince Hal Hanover (Todd McCarthy) pushed clear of 1-5 favorite Captain Optimistic (Scott Zeron) to control a :26.2 first quarter. Entering the clubhouse turn, Papi’s Rocket (Gingras) angled out from fourth to head the outer flow, encroaching steadily on Prince Hal Hanover into a :54.1 half and challenging for the lead at three-quarters in 1:22.1 while Madden Oaks was shuffled to last. Midway around the far turn, Allard swung Madden Oaks three-wide, and the Huntsville-Hard Eight colt surged late to collar Papi’s Rocket — who vaulted three lengths clear of a worn-down Prince Hal Hanover cornering for home — in the final stride. Captain Optimistic rallied up the open stretch to save third out of a collapsing pocket; Fusion (Dexter Dunn) finished fourth.

MADDEN OAKES REPLAY

Cameron Capone trains eight-time winner Madden Oaks, who paid $33.20 to win, for Samir Tawil, Paul Kautz, Alexander Henn and Nathan Fullmer.

The top four finishers from each elimination, along with Swingtown, who was the fifth-place finisher with the highest seasonal earnings, qualified for the $274,720 Grade 2 Progress Pace final, which will take place Wednesday (Nov. 26). The field, with listed drivers and trainers, is as follows:

1. Swingtown (Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke)
2. Fusion (Dexter Dunn, Brett Pelling)
3. Madden Oaks (Simon Allard, Cameron Capone)
4. Captain Optimistic (Scott Zeron, Nancy Takter)
5. Railroad Station (Ronnie Wrenn Jr., Ron Burke)
6. Papi’s Rocket (Tim Tetrick, Ron Burke)
7. TH Colby (Tim Tetrick, Ron Burke)
8. Dandy Ideal (Jason Bartlett, Hunter Oakes)
9. Fallout (Tim Tetrick, Ron Burke)

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results

From the USTA Communications Department