The top Delaware-sired two-year-olds were showcased Wednesday (Oct. 2) at Harrington Raceway in four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) finals.
American Nitro ($3.40, Victor Kirby) was the first winner of the night in DSBF, scoring in an impressive 1:55 from post eight over Aidan and White Lands. It was the third straight win for the Les Givens-trained son of Badlands Nitro who successfully cleared early leader Leonards Legacy, was pressured heavily near the three-quarters, and never relented in his open-length victory.
The filly trotting final was next, as Ed Kimmel and Don Wiest's Orabelle ($2.20, Tony Morgan) was an easy 2:00.1 winner over Alert and Stella A. The Keystone Activator filly led in wire-to-wire fashion and remained unbeaten in three career starts for trainer Wiest.
Jane Dunavant's Chauffeur ($8.20, Art Stafford Jr.) was a 2:01 winner in the colt and gelding trotting final over Master Of Mine and Zulu. The Dusty Winner gelding led most of the way for trainer Carlo Poliseno to notch his first career win impressively after finishing second in both of his preliminary races.
The filly pacing final saw Legacy Racing of Delaware's Cinder Rock ($6.20, Allan Davis) score a 1:55.4 victory over favourite Bag Of Jewels and Spin Sumthin. The Wayne Givens-trained Rockabillie filly set all the fractions and rebuffed a game first-over challenge from Bag Of Jewels to score her second lifetime win.
In the overnight feature, the $20,000 Open Trot, In Secret ($2.40, Corey Callahan) was an easy winner in 1:55 over Murmur Hanover and Royal Becca J. Owned by Mike Hall, CTC Stable, LA Express Stable and T Williams, it was the ninth win of the year for the seven-year-old Deweycheatumnhowe gelding, who is trained by co-owner Hall.
Also on the undercard were three $15,000 DSBF consolation events. The trot was won by Emmys Mayflower ($2.80, Russell Foster), while the filly pacing consolation went to Bashful Smile ($12.80, Ross Wolfenden). The male pacing consolation was won by Walk That Away ($3.40, Morgan).
Ross Wolfenden, Allan Davis and Tony Morgan each had three wins.
(Harrington Raceway)