Dover: Givens trainees bat two-for-three in Wednesday's DSBF tests

Trainer Les Givens captured two of Wednesday's (Nov. 20) three $20,000 second-round Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund splits for 2-year-old pacing fillies at Bally's Dover, as odds-on favorites Little Miss Peyton and Bella Artiste posted repeat victories in their respective events.

In the first split, Little Miss Peyton and driver Corey Callahan seized control from Tilted Crown (driven by Russell Foster) just past a 28 second first quarter, rated middle splits of 57 3/5 and 1:27, and then held off that rival by a neck to score in 1:55 2/5. Sweet Samsara (David Rearic) finished third.

Little Miss Peyton, a Papa Ray-Armbro Cashmere filly, competes as a homebred for Donna Messick. The seven-time winner paid $2.10 to win.

The second section saw Bella Artiste and driver Jim Morand seat Valentina Station (Eddie Dennis) into the pocket through a 27 4/5 first quarter, coast through middle splits of 58 2/5 and 1:27 4/5, and evade her pocket foe by 1 3/4 lengths to win in 1:56 3/5. Mornin Merle (Pat Berry) was a one-paced third after stalking the top pair throughout the mile.

Bella Artiste, a daughter of Badlands Hanover-Arts Bid, has now won five times in her career for Nanticoke Racing, Arthur Feeney and Chad Tate. She paid $2.60 to win.

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Immaculate Inning gave trainer Jim King Jr. a DSBF win, sustaining a mid-race brush in line to Tim Tetrick to overtake early pace-setter Banana Cabana (Tony Morgan) and win by 1 3/4 lengths in a lifetime best 1:57 1/5. Cake Pop (Jason Thompson) stayed on for third after stalking closely.

Jo Ann Looney-King owns and bred Immaculate Inning, a Roddy's Bags Again-End To End Hanover filly who won for the second time in her career and paid $2.80.

In addition to second-round winners Little Miss Peyton, Bella Artiste and Valentina Station, the following fillies qualify for the $110,000 DSBF series final, to be held on Nov. 27: Immaculate Inning, Tilted Crown, Banana Cabana, Mornin Merle and Sweet Samsara.

Two-year-old male pacers take center stage at Bally's Dover on Thursday (Nov. 21), contesting their $110,000 DSBF series championship as the fourth event on a 14-race card. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).

--press release (DSBF)--