Golden Gladiator, No Bad Luck, Par Done My Putt and Miss Snazz were winners of $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund finals for three-year-olds to close out the Dover Downs meet on Thursday, April 15
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In the colt and gelding final, Tony Morgan turned in a skillful drive, his third of five wins, handling The Wiz Kids Stable's homebred Golden Gladiator on the way to the Powerful Toy-Golden Delicious colt's second win in three starts this year. The Bart Dalious-conditioned sophomore held off a challenge from Scout Hanover (Ben Stafford Jr.) in the stretch to record a 1:53 victory. Cool Running (Eddie Davis Jr.) was the show finisher.
Montrell Teague, at age 19, became one of the youngest drivers to win a $100,000 DSBF final when he drove No Bad Luck to victory in 1:54.1 to win the filly title. Teague held his cool as Such Bad Girl (Morgan) attempted to quick step past the leader at the three quarters, but young Teague rallied the Badlands Hanover-Gee Im Lucky filly from nearly being passed on the outside back to the lead and on to her fourth consecutive lifetime win for George W. Teague Jr. and breeder John Celli's Badlands Racing. Isomer (Bryan Truitt) made a game effort in the stretch but had to settle for second. Badlands Kate (Art Stafford Jr.) was third.
Par Done My Putt turned in a game effort after racing on the outside for five-eights of a mile to win the DSBF sophomore colt and gelding trot in 1:59.3. Driver Windy Donaway retired from driving about 10 years ago but was induced back into the sulky to race the Par One-Aggressive Ann colt by owner Mike Gannon and his wife trainer Laura Gannon. The victory was the third straight this campaign for Par Done My Putt. Wygant Knight (Morgan) raced strongly but could not get to the winner and finished second. Airborne Commando (Rod Allen) was next.
Jim Morand allowed his rivals to get away from the starting gate and then pulled Miss Snazz to the outside and quickly took command and held it for a 1:58.1 victory in the $100,000 distaff finale. Bred and owned by Nanticoke Racing, the Les Givens trained daughter of Loge-Snazzy Miss is now two-for-three in 2010. Entry mate Status Symbol (Morgan) was the runner-up. Punks Embrace (Vince Copeland) took third-place money.
There were three $20,000 DSBF consolations on the card. Tony Morgan drove Tabitha Teresczuk's Minute Briefing, a Political Briefing-Minute Rice filly to victory in 2:00.2 to win a colt and filly trot in the first race. Winbak Patty, teamed with Jim Morand to complete the daily double with a 1:55 conquest in a $20,000 filly pace consolation.
Tony Morgan completed the day with five wins, Corey Callahan had three, and Montrell Teague and Brad Hanners fashioned driving doubles.
The 2009-2010 Dover Downs meet came to a close with the Thursday, April 15 program. Delaware racing continues at Harrington Raceway starting this Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Live harness racing returns to Dover Downs in November.
(Dover Downs)