Cruising Mist took full advantage of a pocket trip and got the better of Harrington series champ Salty Beaches in the second of two $28,169 first-round Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) preliminary events for two-year-old pacing fillies on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at Bally's Dover.
With Tim Tetrick at the lines for trainer Wayne Givens, Cruising Mist left from post six to secure the pocket behind Salty Beaches (Allan Davis), who worked clear from post eight to control splits of :28.2, :58.3 and 1:26.4. Just above the eighth pole, Tetrick angled Cruising Mist off the pegs, and the Powerful Mist-Image Cruisingaway filly sped clear of the leader by 1-1/2 lengths to win in 1:56. Unberdnbywhathsben (Jason Thompson) finished third, another 3-3/4 lengths back, after stalking the top pair throughout the mile.
The win was the fourth in nine starts for Cruising Mist, who is owned by breeder Legacy Racing of Delaware. She paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 favourite.
In the first section, Rynesha and driver Ryder Skinner took a pocket tuck behind Jobs Not Finished (Thompson) to draft through early splits of :28 and :58. She tracked intently up the backstretch as the first-over Sunday Suppers (Montrell Teague) forced the pace to quicken through a :28.1 third split to three-quarters in 1:26.1. Rynesha then emerged off the home turn to win by a widening 2-1/4 lengths in 1:56.2 over the late-gaining High Prophet (Corey Callahan). Jobs Not Finished was third.
The win was the first in seven outings for Rynesha, a Highalator-Hawthorne Hudson filly bred by Willow Mill Stables and owned by trainer Jason Skinner in partnership with Ryan Davila. As the 24-1 fifth choice, she paid $50.60 to win.
Jett Propelled, Racing Hungry Take Distaff Features
After being upended by pocket rival Lenna last week, Jett Propelled ($4.60) used two-hole tactics to nab pacesetter Remy Brown N (Brandon Givens) by a nose and post a 1:52.4 win in the $35,211 Fillies and Mares Open Pace. Earth Angel (Corey Callahan) was third. Jason Thompson drove the five-year-old Roddys Bags Again-Jett Away mare to her 13th win of the season in 35 starts for owner/trainer/breeder Robert Shahan.
In the $28,169 Fillies and Mares Winners Over Select Pace, Glenn Goller and Stephen Demeter's Racin Hungry ($2.40) brushed to the fore with a circuit to go and evaded Square Deal (Tony Morgan) by 2-3/4 lengths for a 1:51.1 win with Southwind Roanoke (Tim Tetrick) third. Pat Berry drove the six-year-old Stay Hungry-Four Starzz Meliss mare for trainer Traci Berry. Racin Hungry is now seven-for-22 this year.
Tetrick, Berry and Chris Scicluna all recorded driving doubles on the 15-race card.
The racing week at Bally's Dover wraps up Thursday with a 15-race program featuring all four Grade 2 Matron Stakes for two-year-olds, the second round of the DSBF series for two-year-old male pacers and a $27,500 USD Blue Hen Open Handicap Pace. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).
(Bally's Dover)