Déjà vu in DSBF action

DOVER, Del. — Kodack Black (Kodak Lindy-Love On Broadway) rolled to a repeat win in Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund preliminary action, taking top harness racing honors on Tuesday (Nov. 15) at Bally’s Dover with a 1:57 score in his $20,000 second-round split for 2-year-old trotters.

Perfect Twenty and Miss Daburg also coasted to preliminary sweeps in their respective events, while Royal Flirt vaulted to a 24-1 upset in her division.

Kodack Black, who won by a widening 14 lengths in the first round, proved similarly decisive over four rivals in the first division for 2-year-old male trotters and missing his lifetime mark by just one-fifth of a second. Driver Montrell Teague angled the gelding out from third and brushed to clear Reddy Fox (driven by Art Stafford Jr.) after a :29.3 first quarter. Kodack Black advanced willingly and took control with just over a lap to go, and then rated middle splits of :59.2 and 1:28.3 before widening his lead steadily through the far turn. The three-time winner switched gears and sprinted home in :28.2 to put nine lengths of clearance on Reddy Fox at the winning post. Paleface (Allan Davis) finished third, another length behind.

Clyde Francis trains Kodack Black for owner-breeder George Teague Jr. Inc. and ownership partners David Collins and Lakiyah Teachey.

In the second split for colts and geldings, Perfect Twenty (Yankee Royalty-Jetta Spring) and driver Tim Tetrick dueled with Clifton Green stablemate Hespookshescores (Russell Foster) through the first eighth of a mile, cleared on the first turn, and traveled uncontested through sectionals of :29, :59 and 1:28.2 before drawing 8-1/4 lengths clear of his stablemate. Royal Mistake (Kim Vincent) improved mildly off the home turn to just miss second.

Robert Allison Jr. owns five-time winner Perfect Twenty, a gelding bred by Jason Leid.

Miss Daburg (Anders Bluestone-Comical Dream) became the third 2-year-old trotter to sweep their Dover preliminary events with a pillar-to-post 2:00 win in the second division for fillies. Sent off the 4-5 favorite, the filly strode easily to the lead from post four and was rated through a 1:00.3 first half by driver Pat Berry before facing a first-over challenge from Starlight Lounge (Tetrick) up the backstretch. Miss Daburg evaded her outside foe, accelerated five lengths clear on the final turn, and maintained 3-3/4 lengths of that margin at the end of a 2:00 mile. Lady Brass (Foster) rallied off Starlight Lounge’s cover to narrowly claim second in the final yards.

Traci Berry trains two-time winner Miss Daburg, who paid $3.60 to win. Owner J. Craparotta & P. Berry Racing LLC bred the filly in partnership with Taylor Gower.

The first filly division produced a major upset after odds-on leader She Is Strong (Stafford) faded sharply on the far turn after setting splits of :29.3, 1:00 and 1:30.3. Royal Flirt (Yankee Royalty-J N Payton), in line to trainer-driver Kim Vincent, mounted a rally from third midway on the far turn and pushed to the fore at the eighth pole. From there, she sprinted 4-3/4 lengths clear of Gold Rate (Victor Kirby), who escaped a failing pocket to save second, and won in 2:01. Bluemoonrising (Ross Wolfenden) improved belatedly for third.

Royal Flirt, who paid $51.60 to win in her maiden-breaking outing, is owned by Providence West Inc. and was bred by William Miller III.

The eight highest point earners of each sex will meet in $100,000 finals next Tuesday (Nov. 22).

The eligible colts and geldings are: Kodack Black, Perfect Twenty, Hespookshescores, Reddy Fox, Carl’s Legacy, I Got It Made, Paleface and Rob’s Road. The eligible fillies are: Miss Daburg, Royal Flirt, Lilmisswontbewrong, Lady Brass, Gold Rate, Last Nights Hit, Bluemoonrising and Fairlee.

The second preliminary round of the Bally’s Dover DSBF series for 2-year-olds wraps up Wednesday (Nov. 16), with three $20,000 divisions for pacing fillies slated to commence the card. The first division will take place as a non-wagering event at 4:10 p.m., while the other two kick off a 15-race pari-mutuel program scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

For non-wagering race results, click here.

For pari-mutuel complete race results, click here.