It was a driving finish for the freshman pacing fillies in Tuesday’s $100,000 final of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund at Dover Downs, and when the dust settled it was Logans Girl coming out on a top in what turned out to be a hard-fought battle.
Ross Wolfenden got away third from Post 2 with Logans Girl, who watched Shes No Spinster power to the lead through an opening quarter in :27.3. Wolfenden pushed the button on Logans Girl in the second quarter, and she responded by making a snap move to the top. She cruised past the half in :56.2 before being chased by Lunar Phase to the three-quarter marker in 1:25.2.
Logans Girl put away that foe before coming under heavy pressure from a number of challengers from the backfield. She used a :29.3 closing panel to prevail by three-quarters of a length over Magicinthemoonlite in 1:55. The show dough went to race favourite Spanish Dream, whose late rally fell short by the same margin.
Jim King, Jr. trains the daughter of Roddys Bags Again-All Italian for Joann Looney King of Harrington, DE. The victory improved the filly’s record to 7-0-2 from nine trips postward and then lion’s share of the loot lifted her cash stash to $140,250.
Diva Demands captured the $20,000 DSBF Consolation for driver Corey Callahan. The filly made a bold move on the way to the half, and after clearing to the top she proceeded to lead the field past the three-quarter pole in 1:26.4. Her :31.1 closing speed earned her the win by a pair of lengths over Lillisbagsrpacked in 1:58. Odds-on favourite KJ Dale settled for third.
Sent off at odds of 7-1, the daughter of Roddys Bags Again-Me In The Spotlite she her maiden status in what was the seventh start of her career. She’s stashed away more than $15,000 to date for owner/trainer George Leager of Sudlersville, MD.
The Tuesday card also featured the $20,000 Fillies & Mares Open Handicap for pacers.
Allan Davis put the pedal to the metal with Empress Deo right from the word ‘Go’, and after slicing out splits of :27, :56.3 and 1:24.2 she used a :28.1 closing panel to prevail by three-quarters of a length over Elliesjet N in 1:52.3. Miss Me Yet rallied to finish third.
Pounded down to even-money status, the Wayne Givens-trained daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Little Miss K won for the fourth time this season and for the 19th time in her career. The five-year-old is owned by Legacy Racing of De Inc of Seaford, DE. She recently surpassed $300,000 in career earnings.