A quartet of $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund finals highlighted Thursday’s card at Dover Downs, with trotting colts and geldings kicking things off.
Air Time (Dusty Winner-I Concur), one part of a three-horse entry of homebreds for owner/breeder Jane Dunavant and trainer Carlo Poliseno, equalled his lifetime mark of 1:56.4 thanks to his victory for driver Art Stafford, Jr.
The winner of this year’s Virginia-bred program, Air Time increased his 2020 earnings to $144,987 thanks to his score by 4-1/4 lengths. Touch Of White finished second followed by Chauffeur.
The trotting ladies were up next, and the 1-9 favourite, Emmys Mayflower (Anders Bluestone-Stirling Charisma) won by nine lengths in a stakes record clocking of 1:55.4. Driven by Russell Foster for owner/breeder/trainer Eric Foster, it was the fifth win in seven starts for Emmys Mayflower. The career winner of $97,700 defeated Dabigspooky Bootah and Katies Blu Diamond.
Sweet Lil (Art Director-Blissful Lil) captured the filly pace division in 1:54.3 for driver Tony Morgan and trainer Jason Skinner. Owned by George S. Minner of Harrington and bred by Josephine Vincent, it was a sweet win as the filly was unraced at two. Betting favourite Spinferno was second followed by Foolish Wisdom in third.
The favourite in the pacing colts and geldings division, Apple Valley Art (Artzina-Shake Away), didn’t disappoint. The Harrington final winner won by two lengths in 1:54 for the meet’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick, and trainer, Jim King, Jr. Owned and bred by Jim’s wife, JoAnn Looney-King, it was the sixth win of the year for Apple Valley Art who lifted his earnings to $145,640 with the victory over American Nitro and Leonards Legacy.
On a different note, one of the stellar performers in the Breeders’ Fund program, Apple Bottom Jeans (Mr Apples-Scylla Hanover) was retired to the broodmare ranks in a ceremony after leading the post parade for the eight race. She ends her career with earnings in excess of $1 million and a record of 1:50.1. She is the fifth leading money earner of all DSBF pacers.
Bred by Kevin Switzer’s KDK Standardbreds and sold to owners Howard Taylor, Robert Cooper, Ed Gold, and the late Tom Lazzaro, she was trained by Dylan Davis and cared for by LuAnn Marsh. She has a date in the court of Papi Rob Hanover.
(With files from Dover Downs)