Odds-on favourites Misty Coast and Killer Stripes both completed sweeps of their respective preliminary rounds in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund series for two-year-old pacing fillies at Bally’s Dover with strong front-stepping wins on Wednesday (Nov. 16) — and gave driver Art Stafford Jr. a stakes double.
Misty Coast again earned top billing when she strolled to a handy 1:56.3 score in the third and final $20,000 division, extending her current winning streak to seven races in the act. The Powerful Mist-Cruisinthecoast filly duelled with Direct Mist (driven by Trae Porter) and cleared for the lead on the first turn before controlling sectional times of :28.3, :58.1 and 1:27.4. After facing a mild bid from Direct Mist at the midpoint of the far turn, Misty Coast accelerated to preserve her lead, coasting home handily to win by 1-3/4 lengths. Direct Mist was a strong second; Clearlydreamy (Victor Kirby) was a one-paced third after stalking the top pair throughout.
Les Givens trains eight-time winner Misty Coast, who paid $2.10 to win, for owner-breeder Stephen Messick.
Killer Stripes was Stafford’s other stakes winner, repelling a stern challenge from Hold My Wine to win for the second time in as many starts thus far. Stafford quarter-moved from third with the Badlands Hanover-Tiger Style filly, clearing Hold My Wine (Michael Cole) just before completing the first quarter in :28.4. After travelling uncontested through a cozy :59.2 middle half, Killer Stripes faced pressure from Hold My Wine just above the eighth pole. Killer Stripes held her ground while driven out, staving off Hold My Wine’s stretch-long bid by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.2. Chatty Kathleen (Pat Berry) rallied mildly for third, another 12-1/2 lengths behind.
Trainer Andrew Stafford co-owns the Winbak Farm-bred Killer Stripes, who paid $2.20 to win, with Thomas Ireland and Bonnie Benson.
Kims Secret Search completed the trio of second-round winners, lifting steadily out of third in line to Corey Callahan through the final three-eighths of the mile, eclipsing pacesetter No Gel Nikki (Montrell Teague) with an eighth to go, and edging clear to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:58.4. Spoiled Rotn Girl (Allan Davis) was third.
Kims Secret Search kicked off a stakes double for breeder Winbak Farm. John Wilkerson trains the Badlands Hanover-Search The Future filly for Kimberly Caulder.
Misty Coast, Killer Stripes, Kims Secret Search and first-round winner Direct Mist all earned berths to next Wednesday’s (Nov. 23) $100,000 DSBF series final, as did No Gel Nikki, Clearly Dreamy, Hold My Wine and Spoiled Rotn Girl.
Majorca N Wins Mares Open
Majorca N (pictured above) and driver Corey Callahan encountered traffic problems last week and finished a fast-closing second. On Wednesday night, Majorca N and Callahan went down the highway from post eight.
Majorca N made each pole a winning one by setting fractions of :27.1, :56.2 and 1:24.3. Longshot Incaseyoudidntknow left from the outside and settled into fourth, racing to the quarter. Incaseyoudidntknow marched first over down the backstretch and challenged Majorca N at the three-quarter pole. In deep stretch, Majorca N dug in gamely and won by a nose in 1:53.
Majorca N is owned by Michael Casalino Jr. of New Jersey and Dylan Davis of Delaware. Davis trains the $3.20 winner.
Incaseyoudidntknow was used twice in the mile and battled to finish second by a nose. Chase Lounge finished third.
Art Stafford Jr. won five races on the 15-race betting card.
Tomorrow night, Bally’s Dover features two elimination races for the Progress Pace. Three-year-colt and gelding pacers battle in the eighth and 12th races.
The first four finishers, in the official order of finish, in each elimination race, will return for the $250,000 Progress Pace. The final will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 23, the day before Thanksgiving.
Also on the betting card are the Blue Hen Handicap and Open Handicap Paces.
There is a Pick 4 carryover of $1,150, a Pentafecta carryover of $2,482 and a Pick 3 carryover of $989 to Thursday’s racing card.
Post time at Bally’s Dover is 4:30 p.m. (EST).
(with files from DSBF and Bally's Dover)