Dover: Watch Em Win, Slugger On Deck repeat in DSBF

First-round winners Watch Em Win and Slugger On Deck delivered decisive victories as the odds-on favorites in their respective $20,000 second-round splits of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) for 2-year-old male pacers on Thursday (Nov. 13) at Bally's Dover. South Of The Hood was the other division winner.

Off the strength of a 5 1/2 length romp in the first round, Watch Em Win and driver Tim Tetrick rated leisurely early splits of 30, 59 2/5 and 1:27 4/5 before unleashing a 26 3/5 sprint home to defeat pocket rival Arette (driven by Allan Davis) by 9 1/4 lengths in 1:54 2/5. He's Webster (Jared Moyer), who finished third, was 12 1/4 lengths farther behind.

Ron Burke trains Watch Em Win, who paid $2.10 to win, for Burke Racing Stable, Knox Services, Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi. The He's Watching-Winners Over colt has now won seven of 11 career races and banked $130,558.

Not to be outdone, Slugger On Deck and Allan Davis floated forward to clear 49-1 shot Iheartmum (Art Stafford Jr.) just beyond a 27 4/5 first quarter. After pulling the half back to 56 4/5, Slugger On Deck faced steady first-over pressure from C Millertimeagain (Corey Callahan) through the far turn and used 27 4/5 stretch speed to keep that rival 1 1/4 lengths at bay for a 1:53 3/5 win. Iheartmum finished third, another 11 lengths in arrears.

Slugger On Deck, a He's Watching-End To End Hanover colt with six wins and $61,990 in earnings from nine starts, is trained by Jim King Jr. for owner/breeder Jo Ann Looney-King. He paid $2.60 to win.

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South Of The Hood and driver Montrell Teague completed the trio of second-round winners with a two length, 1:54 4/5 score over Stained Glass (Ross Wolfenden) and first-round winner Roman Raider (Barton Dalious) in the lone non-wagering division. The Southwind Lynx-Nozy Neighbor colt brushed from fourth to take the lead with a lap to go and paced strongly to his second career win for trainer Clyde Francis and the partnership of David Collins and George Teague Jr. Inc.

Two-time preliminary winners Watch Em Win and Slugger On Deck lead the octet of rookie male pacers who have qualified for next Thursday's (Nov. 20) $110,000 series championship. Also earning berths are: South Of The Hood, Roman Raider, Stained Glass, C Millertime Again, Arette and He's Peeping.

Second-round preliminary action continues Monday (Nov. 17) with 2-year-old trotting fillies taking part in two non-wagering events prior to the main card at Bally's Dover, beginning at 4:10 p.m. (EST).

--press release (DSBF)--