Dover: Delaware grand slam for Gaitway Guy

Through his 2- and 3-year-old seasons, the GTY Stable homebred Gaitway Guy competed in 12 Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) races — and won all of them. He completed his state-restricted stakes campaign on Thursday (Dec. 14) at Bally's Dover with a 1:54 2/5 win in the $110,000 DSBF series final for 3-year-old male pacers, and in doing so he became the 10th horse since the 2002 inception of the DSBF to sweep all four championships.

Gaitway Guy was widest on the track of five horses who left in pursuit of the early lead, and driver Corey Callahan steered him into the third spot behind early pace-setters Notte's Mist (driven by Allan Davis) and Night Terror (Art Stafford Jr.) at the end of a 27 second first quarter. As Notte's Mist rated a 56 3/5 half, Gaitway Guy began his first-over push, and the Delmarvalous-Brussels Hanover gelding struck the front with five-sixteenths to go. Once he put away Notte's Mist past three-quarters in 1:24 2/5, Gaitway Guy stretched clear of his seven rivals, opening his lead to two lengths in upper stretch and ultimately evading runner-up Bad Boy Too (Simon Allard) by 1 1/2 lengths. Night Terror saved third.

Jeff Smith trains 13-time winner Gaitway Guy, who paid $2.40 to win as the 1-5 favorite. With his fourth DSBF title, Gaitway Guy raised his career earnings to $304,400.

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The $20,000 DSBF consolation saw Double Bags ($13.60) and driver Barton Dalious emerge from the pocket to overtake even-money favorite Cards A Flyin (Corey Callahan) up the backstretch en route to a one length, 1:55 win. Showdown Lynx (Stafford) was third. Trainer Harry Marsh Jr. co-owns and bred the Roddy's Bags Again-Doubledownndirty gelding with Marilyn Marsh.

--press release (DSBF)--