Dover, DE — Stockade Seelster ($3.80) and Cannibal ($3.20) both won — albeit narrowly — as the odds-on favorites in their respective $35,000 eliminations of the Progress Pace, for 3-year-old colts and geldings, on Thursday (Nov. 16) at Bally’s Dover.

Stockade Seelster proved resolute in the first Progress elimination, surviving a backstretch blitz from Bugaboo Lou before outlasting a two-pronged stretch challenge to win in 1:50.4.

Stockade Seelster held his ground under late pressure to win the first Progress Pace elimination.

David Miller pushed Stockade Seelster forward to clear El Rey (driven by Dexter Dunn) midway on the first turn, and the State Treasurer-Soiree Seelster colt controlled early fractions of :27.2 and :55.2 before Bugaboo Lou (Tim Tetrick) emerged from fifth and marched first-over up the backstretch to engage Stockade Seelster on the far turn.

Bugaboo Lou got to within a half length of Stockade Seelster midway on the far turn, but the biggest threats came in the final sixteenth when El Rey lunged up the open stretch and Ervin Hanover (Yannick Gingras) hooked three-wide around the stalled Bugaboo Lou. Stockade Seelster survived the late onslaught by a diminishing nose over El Rey and Ervin Hanover, second and third, respectively. Bugaboo Lou, beaten 1-1/2 lengths, finished fourth.

Dr. Ian Moore trains Stockade Seelster, a 15-time winner with $1,246,488 in career earnings, for Sally and Paul MacDonald.

In the second elimination, Cannibal and Yannick Gingras yielded to Why Not Now (Andy McCarthy) through a :26.1 first quarter before pulling the pocket to take charge with a lap to go. The Sweet Lou-No More Losses colt was unchallenged through middle splits of :55.1 and 1:22.4 before Why Not Now reemerged up the open stretch. Cannibal, driven out off the home turn, prevailed by a nose over Why Not Now in 1:51. Hungry Angel Boy (Scott Zeron) was third, 1-3/4 lengths behind; Moment Is Here (Tetrick) overcame stalled cover to finish fourth.

Cannibal (foreground) showed similar resolve in the stretch to win the second Progress elimination. Fotowon photos.

Nancy Takter trains Cannibal, a 15-time winner who has earned over $764,240, for Diamond Creek Racing.

The top four finishers from each elimination will meet in the $260,000 Progress Pace final, scheduled for next Wednesday (Nov. 22).