Dover, DE — Swee’pea surged late along the pylons and registered an 11-1 upset in the $51,100 Bally’s Dover Late Closer final for Delaware-sired 3-year-old male trotters on Tuesday (March 31) at Bally’s Dover.
Thiskissformaryell, Topflight Champion and Swee’pea tangled early, with Thiskissformaryell and driver Jim Morand parking out Topflight Champion through a quick :27.3 opening quarter. Topflight Champion retreated to the pocket while 3-5 favorite Thiskissformaryell controlled middle splits of :57.4 and 1:26.4. Topflight Champion and driver Eddie Dennis continued to race in the pocket.
At the top of the lane, Thiskissformaryell braced for the challenge of Topflight Champion, who drew alongside. Swee’pea and driver Corey Callahan benefitted from the duel, gathering momentum along the pylons and surging quietly to win by a neck in 1:56.2.
Thiskissformaryell finished second and Topflight Champion was third.
Swee’pea, a son of Top Flight Angel who paid $24 to win, is owned, trained and bred by Thomas Lail.
“I was confident in his abilities, even though he only won in 1:59.1 last start,” noted Callahan after the race. “I wanted to get race position and hoped [Thiskissformaryell and Topflight Champion] would battle it out, and they did.”
Wednesday’s (April 1) feature is the $50,950 final of the Bally’s Dover Late Closer for Delaware-sired 3-year-old pacing fillies, carded as race 6, and the co-feature is the $25,000 Mares Open Handicap Pace, carded as race 12.
Bally’s Dover will conclude its live harness racing season on Thursday (April 2).
Post time is 4:30 p.m.