DSBF: Winners earn career best times

David Hamm and Frank Chick's Aeneas ($4.60) became the only 2-year-old male pacer to sweep his Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) preliminary legs with a career-best 1:54.2 win over He's Soaring in the second of three $20,000 divisions at Bally's Dover.

Montrell Teague took advantage of a pocket ride with Aeneas behind fellow first-round winner He's Soaring before diving to the open stretch and rallying to post his second career victory by a widening 1-1/4 lengths. Jamie Sullivan trains the Highalator-Sequoia Seelster gelding, whom Dr. William Solomon bred.

Lifetime bests also fell in the other two DSBF divisions, with the winners also posting major upsets.

• Blue Jay's Watchin ($73.20) emerged from the pocket 100 yards from home and lifted to just edge 1-20 favorite Hawaiian Warfare in 1:53.4. Tony Morgan drove the He's Watching-NF Salsa gelding to his fourth career win for trainer Daniel Gassien, owner Richard Havens, and breeder Steve Wetzel.
• DM's Delight ($21.60) made every pole a winning one and parried a late lunge from the first-over Never Fold by a neck for a 1:57.4 score. Brandon Givens drove the Highalator-Cashmere's Delight gelding to his second career win for trainer Les Givens and owner/breeder Donna Messick.

The top eight point earners from both preliminary rounds will convene for the $110,000 series final on Thursday, Nov. 19. They are: Aeneas, Hawaiian Warfare, He's Soaring, Blue Jay's Watchin, DM's Delight, Bootcamp Baby, See Jack Run and Earl's Watching. There will be a consolation for the remaining 8 in points.