Totally Rusty was totally awesome winning the $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) Three-Year-Old Filly Pace in a near event-record breaking 1:51.3 victory over a 'sloppy' track on Wednesday, April 8 at Dover Downs.
Totally Rusty was one of three fillies to leave the starting gate, and when the field straightened out, Corey Callahan took the totally homebred chestnut into the lead with a :27.3 opening panel.
Purrfect Bags, burdened by leaving from outside post eight, was able to fire out fast find room fourth. As the field moved in front of the grandstand, driver Vic Kirby immediately came out to test the leader.
After a :55 opening half, Totally Rusty was in control passing the three-quarters in 1:24.1 and continued to lengthen her lead in the lane with a :27.2 last quarter for a decisive 13-length victory. Tim Tetrick got Love Forbidden up for second with Spin Vision, handled by Allan Davis, winning the photo for third-place nipping Gigi Deo and Ross Wolfenden, fourth.
Totally Rusty’s winning clocking is one-fifth of a second from the DSBF sophomore filly record of 1:51.2 set by Tug River Princess and driver John Campbell in 2008.
"From the first time I sat behind this filly, I knew she was a good one,” remarked driver Callahan. “This was a terrific performance (1:51.3) considering the sloppy track.”
Al “Rusty” Carter, racing under the nom de course of Carter Racing Stable, owns Totally Rusty, who is by a stallion Carter raced and liked so much he bred to his Badlands Hanover mare, Rustys Joy, with Totally Rusty the only result. She has now won 11 of 12 lifetime starts, with one second-place, earning $199,250 in purses.
In the $20,000 DSBF consolation, 66-1 Sugar Spin (No Spin Zone-Strangely Normal), bred, owned and trained by Leigh Louthan, earned her first career win as Allan Davis drove her to a 1:58 victory. After a second and five thirds in 18 starts, she finally made the winner’s circle paying $135.40 for a $2 ticket. With 119-1 Windy Pacific and Eddie Davis Jr. second, the exacta returned $978.20 and a $1 5-6-7 trifecta payoff returned $5,151,30.
Callahan added four winners to his meet’s total, now 281. George Dennis and Allan Davis won two races apiece.
The last of four $100,000 DSBF finals this week, featuring sophomore male pacers, is set for closing day, Thursday. Dover Downs will offer a ‘two-for-one’ special in the Winners Circle Restaurant. First race post time is 4:30 p.m.
(With files from Dover Downs)