A pair of $28,169 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) divisions for three-year-old filly pacers, contested over a sloppy track, highlighted the 15-race program on Tuesday, June 23 at Harrington Raceway.
In the first division, Warrens Charm ($2.40), sent off as the 1-5 favourite, took full advantage of her rail post position for driver Ryder Skinner. She set fractions of :30, :59.2 and 1:28.3 before holding off pocket-sitter Meemaws Column (Russell Foster) for a 1-1/4-length win in 1:57.4. Coastal Cowgirl (Justin Parker) was third.
Warrens Charm, a daughter of Hes Watching-Azure Deo, was a two-year-old DSBF champ and has banked $225,315 in her career in 12 starts with nine wins. Jason Skinner trains the filly and co-owns her with Rodney Wyatt.
Lovers Cay ($4.80) prevailed in 1:59.1 in the second division with a front-end score. Brandon Givens rated her to fractions of :30, 1:00 and 1:29.4, and the filly reached the line a 1-1/4-length winner over Big Mamas Bet (Tony Morgan), with Sucha Sporty Girl (Shane Griffith) third.
The winning daughter of Sports Column-Speaker Pelosi notched her fifth career win in 20 outings and her first DSBF triumph. Kristyann Rash trains Lovers Cay, who has earned $90,502, for Anthony Carson Jr.
Montrell Teague drove three winners on the card, including Frank Chick’s Stevie Hanover ($3.40) in the $31,690 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace in 1:54.2. She put up the fractions of :28, :57.1 and 1:26.1 and drew clear to a 2-1/2-length victory over Jett Propelled (Jason Thompson), followed by Laurel Court (Art Stafford Jr.). Trained by Jamie Sullivan, the four-year-old Betting Line-Shes A Fan mare notched her second straight win and 14th lifetime in 40 starts. She has earned $280,526.
Driver Corey Callahan had four wins.
Nearing the halfway point of the meet, Art Stafford Jr. sits atop the drivers' standings with Brandon Givens and Tony Morgan tied for second. Joe Columbo leads Chuck Crissman and Les Givens in the trainers' standings.
The trotters will have their turn in opening-round DSBF action on Wednesday with four divisions to be contested.
(With files from Harrington Raceway; photo of Warrens Charm winning on June 23)