Breeder, owner and trainer Gordon Barrett put Donnie Long in the bike to drive Willow Mill Anna and the combination clicked for a 2:02.3 triumph in the second leg of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies, with Spoonful notching a 2:00.2 victory in the other $20,000 division on Wednesday night at Dover Downs.
Long left with Willow Mill Anna and they began their front-end journey to the finish line, reducing the Political Briefing-Lukes Samantha filly's lifetime speed record to 2:02.3. Faith On The Hill (Tim Tetrick) was the runner-up while Black Magic Mist (Art Stafford Jr.) fought off Ohtobetheone (Tony Morgan) to finish third.
Jim Morand took Spoonful right to the lead and never looked back for the filly's second straight prelim win. Owned by Delbert Cain and Nanticoke Racing and trained by Les Givens, the Political Briefing-Sanctions filly won for the sixth time in her career to push her earnings to $124,512. Luv Is Blind (Vic Kirby), another prelim winner last week, challenged Spoonful heading to the final turn but had to settle for a second-place finish. Gogh Cinorita (Ross Wolfenden) was the show finisher.
Next Wednesday, the top eight point-getters after the two prelim divisions return for the $100,000 DSBF Championship.
Tom Dillon’s Hollywood Highway streaked away to get the lead for Corey Callahan and fought off Celebrity Pegasus (Art Stafford Jr.) on the backstretch then pulled away in the lane for a 1:53.2 lifetime record in the $15,000 4&5-Year-Old Winners-Over Trot. The Doug Lewis trainee won for the fourth time in seven starts this meet. It was also the Muscle Massive-L A Freeway gelding’s seventh career win, pushing his total earnings to $196,894. Marleys Guy (Tetrick) took third.
Tim Tetrick had a second straight four-win day. Corey Callahan, Tony Morgan and Ross Wolfenden won two races each.
The last four DSBF $20,000 prelims of the meet featuring colt and gelding pacers, leads off with George Teague’s fast sophomores, Henry The Dragon meeting Daiymir, in the first race on Thursday. Major Uptrend heads the $30,000 Preferred while Blazing Bobby Sox and Emeritus Maximus face off in the $27,500 Delaware Special.
Monday through Thursday, post time is 4:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are dark days. Next Thursday, April 13 is closing day of the Dover Downs meet.
(With files from Dover Downs)