Git Goin was the only three-year-old pacing filly to sweep her Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) preliminaries at Bally's Dover, scoring with a 1:54.4 performance in the second of three $27,778 second-round divisions contested on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
With owner/trainer Vince Copeland at the lines, Git Goin floated into a four-hole tuck directly behind 1-9 favourite and fellow first-round winner Bella Artiste (Jim Morand) as Proper Lady (Cody Poliseno) sprinted through early fractions of :26.2 and :55.4. Up the backstretch, Copeland angled Git Goin into a second-over tow behind Bella Artiste, who offered steady pressure to Proper Lady past three-quarters in 1:24.3 and through the far turn. Turning for home, Git Goin switched three-wide, and the Badlands Hanover-Goin Again filly rallied into the lead with 100 metres to go, besting Bella Artiste by a half-length. Mornin Merle (Tim Tetrick) made mild late gains to finish third.
Git Goin, who did not race as a two-year-old, has won five of 21 starts and banked $71,940 in career earnings. She paid $11.40 as the 9-2 second choice.
Another odds-on favorite was upended in the first division, as Mad Anne (Jason Thompson) rode the pocket through fractions of :27.2, :57.2 and 1:26.2 before lifting late to a three-quarter-length, 1:55.3 victory over 1-9 public choice Little Miss Peyton (Corey Callahan). Cake Pop (Poliseno) finished third.
Mad Anne, a Badlands Hanover-DVC Kolor Me Krazy filly who paid $14.20 to win, has won five of 25 races and earned $50,936 while competing as a homebred for owner/trainer Elizabeth Shockley.
In the third section, Seboomook Ohh Lala passed all seven of her rivals en route to a 27-1 upset over 6-5 favourite and first-round winner Bobbys Grace. After keeping her at the back through :27.1 and :56.4 early fractions, Ross Wolfenden angled the Papa Ray-Seboomook Fool Yah filly third-over approaching three-quarters in 1:25.2, and she circled three-wide off the far turn to nab the first-over Bobbys Grace (Russell Foster) by a neck in a lifetime-best 1:55.1. Valentina Station (Eddie Dennis) split rivals to save third from a failing pocket.
Garnet O'Marrow trains Seboomook Ohh Lala, now a four-time winner from 30 starts with $78,767 in earnings, and his O'Marrow's Stock Farm owns and bred the filly. She paid $57.20 to win.
The five preliminary winners — Git Goin, Bella Artiste, Bobbys Grace, Mad Anne and Seboomook Ohh Lala — all have qualified for the $110,000 USD DSBF series championship, to be held at Bally's Dover next Wednesday, Dec. 17. They will be joined by Little Miss Peyton, Valentina Station and Mimosa On The Key.
Ragtime Red raced from the pocket and rocketed to victory in the $34,722 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace.
Huntress (Allan Davis) settled along the pylons in second early, then sprinted past the 4-5 favourite Ragtime Red, who accepted the pocket journey approaching the quarter in :27.2. Huntress took full advantage of the single-file lineup and backed down the tempo to the half in :56.4 before powering to the three-quarters in 1:24.2. Incaseyoudidntknow (Jim Morand) raced first-over up the backstretch, but her bid stalled. Ragtime Red waited patiently from the pocket for Tetrick, then surged off the pylons and out-finished Huntress by a neck to win in 1:52.2. Ballast (Corey Callahan) earned the show spot.
Ragtime Red, a three-year-old daughter of Getitoffyourchest-Red High Heels, is now 17-for-29 lifetime. Don Brittingham trains the filly for David Banks. She paid $3.60 for the win.
"I was thinking about giving her time off, but she raced great tonight," Brittingham said after the win.
Tetrick and Tony Morgan both scored driving triples on the 15-race card.
DSBF preliminary action concludes on Thursday with two $20,000 USD second-round events for three-year-old male pacers at Bally's Dover. The first will take place as a non-wagering event at 4:10 p.m., and the second kicks off a 13-race pari-mutuel card at 4:30 p.m. The card will also feature a $27,500 USD Blue Hen Open Handicap Pace, in which Stevens Saloon, last week’s winner, will tangle with Itsrockandroll A and Muskateer Hanover.
(DSBF & Dover Downs)