Dover: Trout Master nets DSBF championship

After spending the first half-mile at the back of the main body of the field, Trout Master circled three-wide into the far turn and reeled in 6-5 joint favorite LG's Jaxon to spring a 17-1 upset in the $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series final for 2-year-old male trotters on Wednesday (Nov. 21) at Bally's Dover.

Pat Berry kept Trout Master clear of early trouble as LG's Bluestone broke stride on the first turn, and he settled the Glidemaster-Holy Trout gelding sixth along the pegs while LG's Jaxon (driven by Jim Morand) used 27 3/5 first quarter speed to take charge from Its Oliver Now (Corey Callahan) on the first turn. LG's Jaxon rated middle splits of 58 4/5 and 1:29 before the sloppy going began taking its toll and Trout Master mounted his rally around stalled cover. Trout Master collared LG's Jaxon at the sixteenth pole and edged clear by a length in 2:02; Royal Beep Beep (Tim Tetrick) saved third, 3 1/2 lengths farther behind, after passing a weakening Its Oliver Now up the backstretch.

Clifton Green trains Trout Master, now a two-time winner with $71,520 in career earnings, for owner-breeder Dr. William Solomon. He paid $36.40 to win.

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The $20,000 DSBF consolation went to Pamela Wagner's Daddy Wags, who overcame mid-race traffic to edge Jetsam by a half length in 2:04. Trainer John Wagner drove the gelded son of Anders Bluestone-Tipsy Tiara.

The final 2-year-old DSBF champion will be determined Wednesday (Nov. 22) at Bally's Dover, when eight rookie pacing fillies square off in the $110,000 Ramona Hubbard, carded as the 10th of 15 races. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).

--press release (DSBF)--