She Is Strong more than lived up to her name in Monday's (Dec. 11) $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series final for three-year-old trotting fillies at Bally's Dover, delivering a decisive five-length win over stablemate Last Nights Hit and completing a series sweep after similarly facile scores in both preliminary rounds.
She Is Strong and driver Tim Tetrick were reserved early, ceding the lead to fellow Art Stafford Jr. trainee Last Nights Hit (also driven by Stafford) but remaining in the two-path at the flank of Starlight Lounge (Cody Poliseno) on the first turn. She Is Strong accelerated to the lead just beyond a :29 first quarter and was never in doubt once she cleared her stablemate for control of the terms. The daughter of Anders Bluestone-Nidaros coasted through middle splits of :58.4 and 1:27.3 before drawing clear steadily through the far turn and completing her 1:57.3 mile with plenty in reserve. Last Nights Hit was an isolated second, five lengths clear of third-place finisher Starlight Lounge.
She Is Strong, a 15-time winner with $286,625 in career earnings, was bred by owner Jeffery Clark in partnership with Vernon Cannon. As the overwhelming 1-20 favourite, she paid $2.10 to win.
Three-year-old male trotters will contest their $110,000 DSBF final on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at Bally's Dover, competing in the 10th race on a 15-race program. First post is 4:30 p.m.
(Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund)