Empress Deo will look to repeat in Tuesday’s $20,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap pace at Dover Downs.
An impressive 1:52.3 winner last week, Legacy Racing’s Empress Deo has won this event two of the previous three weeks with a just-missed second by a nose in-between. Allan Davis has been her regular driver.
There is plenty of talent among the opposition. Elliesjet N, racing for Josh Parker, B Spedden, K Evans and Nanticoke Racing was a fast finishing second last week for Jonathan Roberts while Tim Tetrick-driven Scandalicious cut out the early pace and had to settle for third beaten a length.
Two former Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) champions who have gone on to more success are rival distaffs in the week’s top event for female pacers.
Mike Pagonas’ Inititowinafortune, trained by Mike Russo, is a $637,097 career winner while Purrfect Bags, a major stakes winner while a juvenile, is owned by JoAnn Looney-King and is driven by Vic Kirby. Fashion Showdown, owned by trainer Chris White leaves from the rail with Jim Morand. The only three-year-old in the line-up, David Banks and Layfield Horses’ sharp Sayulita with Tony Morgan, is alongside. Veteran Matinee Dragon driven by Part Berry completes the hard-hitting field.
Ed Maas, Arlene Paisley and Nanticoke Racing’s Terror At Night (Morand) and L&L Stables’ Velocity Lana (Yannick Gingras) lead a $15,000 distaff pace on a strong undercard.
(Dover Downs)