Dover: Fallout finishes first in Grade 2 Progress Pace

Fallout, making his second start for trainer Ron Burke, overcame the trailing post nine and poor cover to win Wednesday night's Grade 2 $274,720 Progress Pace for 3-year-old colts and geldings at Bally's Dover.

Captain Optimistic (Scott Zeron), Railroad Station (Yannick Gingras) and Dandy Ideal (Jason Bartlett) showed the most speed off the gate, and Captain Optimistic made Dandy Ideal work past the 26 second opening quarter to clear while Railroad Station settled in third. Fusion (Dexter Dunn) would then move out from fifth heading to the 53 second half-mile marker, giving cover to Fallout (Tim Tetrick), Madden Oaks (Simon Allard) and TH Colby (Corey Callahan).

Fusion would stall and then begin to tire as Dandy Ideal headed towards the 1:21 2/5 three-quarters, which sent Fallout and Madden Oaks three-wide to get around him. After getting around Fusion and taking up position first-over and second-over, Fallout and Madden Oaks advanced into second and fourth on the rim on the final bend as Dandy Ideal turned for home first and Captain Optimistic waited for the passing lane to become available.

Dandy Ideal, the 3-5 favorite who won the Matron and his Progress elim at Dover in his last two appearances, was game on the front-end but was overtaken on both sides late, with Fallout bettering the passing lane-rallying Captain Optimistic by a nose in 1:49 4/5. Madden Oaks was right there in third, another head back, while Dandy Ideal had to settle for fourth. Swingtown (Todd McCarthy) checked in fifth.

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"It was a bullrush getting out of there and I was getting out of there pretty good," Tetrick said post-race. "I got Dexter in front of me, and I got to be second-over, but his horse didn't go good, so I had to three-deep down the backside. I got head-and-head with the horse late there and he held off some closers. He raced really good. He raced his heart out today.

"I'm a firm believer in this horse. I think he's a really good horse and he proved it tonight. He's been close all year. A lot of things have went wrong against him, but he proved his worth tonight."

A Captaintreacherous colt bred by Brittany Farms, Fallout is trained by Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Larry Karr, Phil Collura and Knox Services Inc. Last year's Metro champion, Fallout has a summary of 6-6-5 from 27 starts, has pocketed $881,820 and paid $42.20 to win as a 20-1 shot.