Joann Looney-King’s Purrfect Bags notched a mild upset in winning the $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) final for two-year-old pacing fillies Monday at Harrington Raceway in a track record-setting time of 1:53.2.

The Roddys Bags Again filly settled in fourth early behind pacesetting favourite Totally Rusty, who cruised through fractions of 27.3, 55.1 and 1:24.1. Driver Victor Kirby and Purrfect Bags mounted their attack first over and steadily gained ground before a fierce final charge reeled in the favourite at the finish in dramatic fashion. Gigi Deo was third.

The aptly named Purrfect Bags remained perfect in her career, with four wins in as many starts. Trained by Jim King, Jr., the mile established a new track record, which had been broken the previous two races in a row by Totally Rusty.

“This filly showed a lot of guts tonight and really dug in late,” said Kirby, who won three races. “They told me this filly loves a target and they were right. She’s way better having a target then being on the front end.”

An elated Joann Looney-King was in tears in the winner’s circle and recalled a bout of amnesia in regards to Purrfect Bags’ dam, Purrfectly Bad.

“This is the most exciting race that I’ve ever won in over 60 years,” she said. “We had the mare and she couldn’t go a quarter much faster than 35 seconds. I went to Chick’s Sale looking for a weanling last December and I couldn’t come home with one because everything went too high. I had $2,000 and ended up with her. Jimmy (trainer Jim King, Jr.) reminded me, he said don’t you remember who the dam was? I said nope. And he said, you owned her.”

In the $20,000 DSBF consolation, Erica Hanley and Pam Wagner’s Iaquinta ($12, Kirby) recorded a win in 1:56.2.

Harrington’s leading driver Allan Davis had a grand slam on the program, including a win with Legacy Racing and Reginald Hazzard’s Papa Ray ($10.20) in the $18,000 Open in 1:52.2.

(Harrington Raceway)