Dover: Upsets abound in DSBF rookie trot prelims

Royal Beep Beep ($7.00) and Trout Master ($29.60) upended odds-on favorites in their respective $20,000 first round divisions of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series for 2-year-old male trotters on Tuesday (Nov. 7) at Bally's Dover.

In the first division, Royal Beep Beep used two moves through the first five-eighths of the mile to establish control before repelling an outside challenge from Harrington DSBF series champion LG's Jaxon and prevailing in 1:58 3/5. Tim Tetrick floated the Yankee Royalty-Beep Beep Bye Bye gelding into third out of post seven through a 29 1/5 first quarter before advancing to engage and overtake the early leader, Workslikeacharm (driven by Brett MacDonald) past a 1:00 half. After clearing for the lead up the backstretch, Royal Beep Beep faced stern pressure from 1-5 favorite LG's Jaxon (Jim Morand), who latched onto Royal Beep Beep's mid-race cover, to three-quarters in 1:29 before digging in to stave that rival off through the stretch by a length. Pretty Two (Carlo Poliseno) rallied mildly for third, another 2 1/4 lengths behind.

Jason Skinner trains Royal Beep Beep, who has won three of his seven starts to date and banked $51,368, for owner-breeder Deborah Warnick.

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The second division saw 4-5 choice LG's Bluestone (Art Stafford Jr.) travel uncontested on the lead through splits of 28 3/5 and 59 1/5 before Pat Berry angled Trout Master second-over behind Portnoy (Montrell Teague) with three-eighths to go. LG's Bluestone remained unchallenged to three-quarters in 1:29, only for Trout Master to circle three-wide through the far turn and reach the lead cornering for home. The Glidemaster-Holy Trout gelding drew clear to break his maiden by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:59 1/5; LG's Bluestone narrowly held second over pocket rival Its Oliver Now (Corey Callahan).

Clifton Green trains Trout Master, who increased his earnings to $14,120, for owner-breeder Dr. William Solomon.

A trio of DSBF first round preliminary events for 2-year-old pacing fillies will commence the Wednesday (Nov. 8) program at Bally's Dover. The first, a non-wagering event, is due off at 4:10 p.m. EST, while the other two kick off a 15-race pari-mutuel program with a 4:30 p.m. first post.

--press release (DSBF)--