Thiskissformaryell highlighted a training triple for Les Givens as three-year-old trotters contested their first leg of Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) action on Wednesday, June 24 at Harrington Raceway in four $28,169 divisions.
Thiskissformaryell ($2.80), who swept both of his DSBF series at two, remained undefeated in the program with a pacesetting 2:00.2 victory in the first group of colts and geldings. He reached the line a half-length the best over Money Manager (Eddie Dennis) with Cosmic Flash (Ross Shand) third. The son of Iron Mine Bucky-Twin B Kisses was driven to victory by Jim Morand for owners Nanticoke Racing Inc., James Magno and Joseph Fonte. He is now 11-for-22 lifetime. Thiskissformaryell’s namesake, Mary Ellen Black, was in attendance for the photo. Black, a huge fan of harness racing, is the mother of longtime Mid-Atlantic horse racing writer Ted Black.
Givens also won with Papas Son ($2.40) and Take It Easy ($3.20), both of whom led at every station. Givens is third in the Harrington standings this season with 23 wins, a tally behind second-placed Chuck Crissman Jr. and seven back of leader Joe Columbo. The trainer is 34-for-162 across all tracks this year for a strike rate of 21 per cent.
Topflight Champion ($2.10) demolished his opponents in a 19-1/2-length 1:57 victory in the second split for males. Trainer-driver Eddie Dennis oversaw the gate-to-wire effort by the Top Flight Angel-Js Foxy Lady colt for owners E&K Stable Inc. and Robert Nibblett Jr. Ovi (Corey Callahan) won the race for place over Sunny Blue Rock (Montrell Teague). Topflight Champion is now seven-for-14 lifetime.
Tuis Star ($2.10) shone in the filly divisions, taking the second in 1:58.1 in an eight-length romp. Corey Callahan took the lines behind the E L Platinum-Tui filly for trainer David Wiest, who shares ownership with Don Weist. Belle Natania (Cody Poliseno) was best of the rest over Bloomfield Babe (Montrell Teague). Tuis Star, a DSBF champion at Harrington last year, scored her sixth career win in 14 outings.
Emerys Angel ($14.80) was the lone winner in DSBF action to not lead at every call. After racing fourth to the half, Art Stafford Jr. tipped her first-over then three-high down the backside, and the daughter of Top Flight Angel-Judy Luns was best down the stretch to win in 2:01.1. Wolfpack One (Troy Beyer) finished second over Crazy Amy (Montrell Teague). Emerys Angel is trained by Stacy Johnson-Stafford, who co-owns the filly with Wyatt Starkey. Emerys Angel's win was her fourth lifetime in 16 appearances.
Speed Away ($4.60) circled the field in the back half for driver Corey Callahan to win the overnight feature, the $31,690 Open Handicap Trot. The gelding fanned wide from second-over on the final turn and exploded with trot down the lane to record his 29th career win in 115 starts. He stopped the timer in 1:55.3 with a 1-3/4-length margin over R No Mercy (Mike Cole) and Tom Creek (Eddie Dennis), who were second and third, respectively. The eight-year-old son of Father Patrick-All The Time is trained by Nick Callahan for Breakaway Racing and Yorwollahan Racing Team.
Driver Brandon Givens had three wins on the 15-race card. Callahan had a pair of winners, joining Russell Foster and Ross Wolfenden with a driving double.
The second leg of DSBF action will headline the June 29-July 1 week of racing at Harrington with the male pacers on Monday, filly pacers Tuesday and trotters on Wednesday.
(With files from Harrington Raceway; photo of Thiskissformaryell winning on Oct. 8, 2025)