Harrington Raceway’s richest program of the season will kick off the Delaware State Fair on Thursday, July 23 with 12 races with more than $650,000 USD in combined purses to be contested, including four Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) finals.

The card, beginning at 7 p.m., highlights the top state-bred horses in the $110,000 USD DSBF finals for three-year-olds and elite Delaware-owned horses in the events for older competitors.

The first DSBF final (for trotting fillies) is the sixth race on the program, with morning-line favourite Tuis Star (PP2, Corey Callahan, 2-1) looking to atone for a miscue in the second leg of stakes action, in which she made a break as the 1-9 favourite. The E L Platinum-Tui filly is trained by Dave Wiest, who co-owns her with Don Wiest. Emerys Angel (PP5, Art Stafford Jr., 3-1) is among her chief rivals after winning both her eliminations for trainer Stacy Johnson-Stafford, who shares ownership with Wyatt Starkey. The Top Flight Angel-Judy Luns filly finished fourth in last year's final at Harrington.

The pacing colt final is next up in the seventh race. Morning-line favourites C Millertimeagain (Corey Callahan, 9-5) and Watch Em Win (Tim Tetrick, 7-5) drew posts one and two, respectively. C Millertimeagain, a Roddys Bags Again-Total Conviction gelding trained by Molly Gara, had a win and a second in his elims for owners Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Joellen Frawley and James Knowlton. Watch Em Win was perfect in elim action for trainer Ron Burke and owners Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC.

The eighth race is the filly pacing final, with Rodney Wyatt and Jason Skinner’s Warrens Charm (Tim Tetrick, 9-5) drawing the outside post eight after winning both of her eliminations for trainer Skinner. The Hes Watching-Azure Deo filly, a two-year-old DSBF champ, will square off with a competitive field that includes Anthony Carson Jr.’s Lovers Cay (PP2, Brandon Givens, 5-2). Lovers Cay, a Sports Column-Speaker Pelosi filly, won both her eliminations for trainer Kristyann Rash.

The last of the DSBF finals is the 10th race, the male trotting event. Topflight Champion (Eddie Dennis, 7-5) dominated his eliminations and an overnight event last out for trainer Dennis and owners E&K Stable Inc. and Robert Niblett Jr. The Top Flight Angel-Js Foxy Lady colt seeks his first DSBF title as he leaves from post five.

Always a popular race for local bragging rights is the $50,000 USD Governor’s Cup for aged male pacers. A wide-open field will contest the annual event, with 5-2 the billing on morning-line favourite Armada Hanover (Tim Tetrick). The five-year-old, owned by Legacy Racing Of De Inc. and Hazzard Racing Stables, will leave from post five for trainer Wayne Givens off two straight wins heading into the event. EVM Racing LLC’s Wehadababyetzaboy (Brandon Givens, 4-1) drew the outside post eight in the midst of a strong seven-year-old campaign for trainer Chuck Crissman Jr. Stevens Saloon (PP3, Jason Thompson, 7-2) has been a stalwart on the local circuit with four top-level wins in Delaware this year for trainer Joe Hundertpfund Jr. and owners Rich Ashley and Michael Cain. Owner/trainer Bob Glassmeyer has the two inside horses, Sweet Angel Boy (PP1, Art Stafford Jr., 5-1) and Mr. Three O Five (PP2, Montrell Teague, 9-2). Andrew Stafford and Tom Ireland’s Hotchkiss (PP4, Mike Cole, 12-1), Bob Bailey’s My Miki Beach (PP6, Troy Beyer, 20-1) and TLB Racing LLC’s Cerulean Hanover (PP7, Ryder Skinner, 20-1) complete the field.

The $35,000 USD Legislator’s Cup features the state’s top pacing mares, with Frank Chick’s Stevie Hanover (PP6, Montrell Teague, 8-5) entering off stellar recent form that has included three Open wins in her last four starts. Only Bryan Truitt’s Almost Persuaded (PP2, Russell Foster, 5-2) has recently beaten her, as the mare took her sixth win of the season in 20 outings and fourth in the Open on July 7. Bob Shahan’s Jett Propelled (PP5, Jason Thompson, 4-1) also cannot be dismissed as the top-earning mare in the field this season with four Open wins in 2026.

The $35,000 USD Charles D. Murphy Jr. Memorial Trot will feature the state’s top trotters. Two Open-level heavy hitters in Every Day Dan (PP2, Mike Cole, 5-2) and Speed Away (PP6, Corey Callahan, 2-1) headline the field of eight. Every Day Dan has three wins at the current meet for trainer Joe Columbo and owner George and Tina Dennis Racing, while former Horse of the Meet Speed Away, trained by Nick Callahan for Breakaway Racing and Yorwollahan Racing Team, continues to be a formidable threat weekly in the top overnight trots.

A moment of silence will be held prior to the card’s first race, honouring former Chief Operating Officer of Racing/General Manager James Boese, who passed away on June 26. The well-liked Boese served 27 years in his position. The first race is named in his memory.

After Thursday's card, the live meet will resume hiatus status until racing returns on Aug. 17.

(Harrington Raceway)