Allan Davis sat second with Country Romance, owned and trainer by William Moffett, from the start behind Podium, driven by Dylan Davis, until the stretch before coming to the outside before finally getting by for a 2:00 victory in one of the $20,000 prelims. Glitter Galore and Tony Morgan picked up third-place money. The win for Country Romance, a daughter of Giant Hit-Give A Hoot, is her second straight this year and fifth lifetime. She has won $51,026 in purses.
In the other DSBF event, Ross Wolfenden roared out of post 1 with the lead and never looked back as Starlit Eyes, the CR Commando-Call Me Hazel filly trained by Steve LeBlanc and owned by Jeff Franklin, Winbak Farm and LeBlanc Racing, posted her first career victory, notching a 2:00.2 victory. Luscious Leigh, winner of the 2-year-old $100,000 DSBF final, raced second for John Wagner and finished there. Embrace Peace reined by Roger Plante was the show horse.
The top eight point-getters after the two prelim legs return next Monday for the $100,000 DSBF final.
After Helen B Hanover scored a 1:56.2 victory in the feature race for owner-driver Bryan Truitt Jr., the Badlands Hanover mare was joined in the winner’s circle by a represented group of the Red Hat Society who annually have a 'Night at Dover Downs."
Montreal Teague led all drivers with four winners, Allan Davis and George Dennis had two wins each. Mike Hall of the Doug Lewis Stable had one win to tie defending champion Josh Green for trainer leadership with 77 wins apiece.
On Wednesday, in addition to two $20,000 DSBF second leg prelims, a strong field of nine match strides in the $24,000 Handicap trot.