Dover: Thiskissformaryell impresses again in DSBF action

After sweeping his Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) competition at Harrington Raceway in October, Thiskissformaryell proved dominant in the second of two $20,000 first-round divisions of the DSBF series for 2-year-old male trotters on Tuesday (Nov. 11) at Bally's Dover.

In line to Jim Morand, Thiskissformaryell sprinted to the lead from post seven with Prime Yield (driven by Art Stafford Jr.) securing the pocket through early splits of 29 2/5 and 1:00. The Iron Mine Bucky-Twin B Kisses gelding drew clear steadily up the backstretch, extending his lead over a faltering Prime Yield to five lengths at three-quarters in 1:30 1/5 and completing the mile in 2:01 while under wraps. Pappy's Deal (Allan Davis) sustained an extended rally for second, 5 1/4 lengths in arrears; Swee'pea (Corey Callahan) finished third.

Les Givens trains five-time winner Thiskissformaryell, who paid $3.80 to win as the 4-5 favorite, for Nanticoke Racing, James Magno and Joseph Fonte.

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The first division saw Topflight Champion and trainer/driver Eddie Dennis recover from an early break with a sixth-to-first brush up the backstretch en route to a 9 1/2 length, 2:02 1/5 win over Wings Of Steel (Russell Foster) and Sunny Blue Rock (Troy Beyer). The Top Flight Angel-JS Foxy Lady colt, who paid $3.80 to win, is now a two-time winner for E & K Stable and Robert Nibblett Jr.

The second preliminary round of the Dover DSBF series for 2-year-old male trotters will take place next Tuesday (Nov. 18); the top eight point earners from both preliminary rounds will meet in a $110,000 final on Nov. 25.

--press release (DSBF)--