Star Sapphire and Vandalous won $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) first-leg preliminaries for two-year-old trotting fillies on Wednesday evening (November 15) at Dover Downs, while Super Fly took the $20,000 male prelim.
Enhance Your Mind scored a 1:52.1 triumph in the $25,000 Mares Open pace.
Vandalous won the fastest of the two Delaware-sired filly trots. Corey Callahan moved the daughter of JM Vangogh to the outside from second to take command in mid-stretch while holding on after a strong finish by Uptown Skunk (Roger Plante) to secure a 1:59.4 success. Chambers Racing, Cinbrew Enterprises, and BCJM, Inc. own Vandalous, a three-time winner in six starts with a second and a third to lift her freshman season earnings to $43,800. Alpine Chic (Allan Davis), who led early, held on for third.
Russell Foster left sharply with Serendipity Stable’s homebred Star Sapphire in the other DSBF $20,000 division and led throughout a 2:02.2 mile, closing with a :28.3 final quarter. Trained by Tui Stone, the Anders Bluestone-Victory Starburst bay won for the second time in six outings with a second and a third. Deja Vu Blue (Ross Wolfenden) was next in front of Barn Yard Judy (Bret Brittingham).
Star Sapphire, who won the $100,000 Harrington DSBF edition, has now banked $65,650 this year.
Super Fly scored the fastest frosh mile of the day, with Art Stafford, Jr. directing a 1:58.1 victory in the only $20,000 DSBF colt and gelding division. The Super Punk-MLT Feds gelding is owned by Leigh Raymer, Stephen Moss, and Stacy Johnson-Stafford. It was the second win in four outings for Super Fly, who now has won $34,500 at two. Bosston Cruiser (Jonathan Roberts) saw a four-race win streak end, finishing second. Sky Marshal (Carlo Poliseno) was third.
Next week, the DSBF two-year-old preliminaries reach the second and final legs. The top eight DSBF point-earners in both trotting and pacing divisions make the $100,000 finals for colt and filly trotters and pacers on November 30, the same day of the $300,000 (est.) Hap Hansen Progress Pace for three-year-olds.
Enhance Your Mind got back on the winning ledger in the $25,000 Mares Open pace, notching a 1:52.1 win. Last season's Horse of the Meet, a daughter of Riggins-Enhance The Night, got up for regular driver Victor Kirby for her eighth win of the year. She has won $115,520 through her 2017 campaign for owner-trainer Bryan Truitt. St Kitts (Roberts) and Purrfect Bags (Tim Tetrick) finished second and third respectively.
Leading driver Tim Tetrick had three wins to add to his current total of 24, while Russell Foster, Corey Callahan, and Art Stafford, Jr. each had two driving wins. Nick Callahan had two wins to move into second place among trainers; Josh Green also had two winners.
On Thursday (November 16), an outstanding program is headed by four rich Matron Stakes for three-year-olds, a $30,000 Preferred pace, and a $25,000 Open pace. Post time is 4:30 p.m. Eastern.
(Dover Downs)