Dover, DE – Bobby’s Grace launched a three-wide bid into the far turn to narrowly edge Git Goin in the final yards of the $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund (DSBF) series championship for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Wednesday (Dec. 17) at Bally’s Dover, lowering her lifetime mark to 1:54.4 and giving trainer Vince Copeland a sweep of the exacta in the event.
Russell Foster took Bobby’s Grace to last in the eight-horse field as Les Givens trainees Bella Artiste (driven by Jim Morand) and Little Miss Peyton (Corey Callahan) dueled through a :27 first quarter. Bella Artiste pushed clear of her stablemate off the first turn and faced pressure from the uncovered Mad Anne (Jason Thompson) heading to the :55.2 half as Copeland angled Git Goin second-over out of fifth and Foster pointed Bobby’s Grace fifth-over into a stacked outer tier.
Upon reaching the backstretch, Mad Anne faded sharply, forcing Git Goin to circle three-wide in pursuit of the leader. Third in the three-wide flow midway up the backstretch, Bobby’s Grace lost her cover as Git Goin pushed Bella Artiste through a :29.1 third quarter, but she continued to advance through the far turn and joined the top pair just before the eighth pole. With Bella Artiste softened up turning for home, Git Goin ground to a brief mid-stretch lead, but Bobby’s Grace found enough late to nab her stablemate by a head at the winning post. Bella Artiste was a game third, beaten by a length.
Michael Baio owns Bobby’s Grace, a Roddy’s Bags Again-Casino Bus filly who paid $13.80 to win as the 5-1 fourth choice. She has won five races and earned $94,423 in purses from 25 career starts.
The $20,000 DSBF consolation saw Proper Lady and driver Tony Morgan live up to 3-5 billing, seizing the early lead from Tilted Crown (Allan Davis) and keeping an outside bid from Mornin Merle (Tim Tetrick) a neck at bay to win in 1:55. Carlo Poliseno trains the Proper Respect-Sidney filly, who paid $3.20 to win, for owner/breeder Jane Dunavant.
The 2025 DSBF season concludes Thursday (Dec. 18) with the $110,000 championship for 3-year-old male pacers carded as the eighth race on a 15-race program at Bally’s Dover. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).