Elimination races on $250,000 Progress Pace
At 0h03, on November 19, 2025 • By Alex Kraszewski, Bally’s Dover
Due to the popularity of the Progress Pace, there will be two elimination races.
The races will be contested on the 12th and 14th races on Thursday, November 20.
Each division carries a purse of $35,000. The 12th race features Dandy Ideal, who dominated, winning wire to wire in the Matron Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers at Bally’s Dover last week. He is the major danger and is the fastest in the race with a 1:48 lifetime mark and is the leading money earner with over a million dollars in lifetime earnings. Hoosier Park invader Sugar Man should also be considered and ships in sharp with back-to-back wins there.
The 14th race competition is stacked and includes Captain Optimistic, who benefitted from a perfect journey finishing second to Dandy Ideal last week. He has earned over a million dollars lifetime. Meadowlands Pace victor Madden Oaks raced wide in the Matron Stakes last start, finishing off the board, and looks to rebound. The Huntsville product was interfered with in the Breeders Crown Final and had little chance to contend earlier.
Prince Hal Hanover is the fastest in this division with a mark of 1:47.2 and is the leading money earner with over $1.1 million in lifetime earnings. He was placed second to Madden Oaks, the eventual winner, in the Meadowlands Pace earlier and may be seeking revenge in this race.
The first four horses in the official order of finish will compete in the Progress Pace Final, to be raced on Wednesday, November 26. The Progress Pace carries an estimated $250,000 purse.
There will be no live racing at Bally’s Dover on Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving Day).
Bally’s Dover races Monday through Thursday with a first-race post of 4:30 p.m.
