Four $20,000 divisions of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund’s (DSBF) three-year-old trotting stakes were contested on the Wednesday (July 1) program at Harrington Raceway, and upsets abounded.
The first split for fillies saw a major upset as Shirley Shand’s Blue Carats ($86.20, Roger Plante Jr.) notched a 2:01 win over Orabelle and Stella A. Heavy favourite Orabelle, the two-year-old DSBF champion, led most of the way from post 8 before retreating near the three-quarters. For Blue Carats, it was her first lifetime win for trainer John Rinnier. The Anders Bluestone-Victory Starburst filly is a full sister to former DSBF champion Star Sapphire, who was owned by the late Marv Bachrad, longtime head of publicity at Dover Downs.
Ben Brooks’ Master Of Mine ($6.80, Victor Kirby) was a dominant winner in the first division for colts and geldings as he cruised to a 1:58.3 score for trainer John Wilkerson. The Master Lavec-Dilly Dally Delia gelding was an open-length winner over Rocky Bomber and Chauffeur, and improved to 2-for-2 on the year and completed a sweep of his eliminations. Favourite Touch Of White went off stride early in the mile.
The second split for colts and geldings saw Jane Dunavant’s Riddle Me This ($24.60, Ross Wolfenden) score a 1:58.3 win over Air Time and Zulu. The Dusty Winner-Koala Kat gelding led most of the way in his first career win for trainer Carlo Poliseno.
Providence West Inc.’s Alert ($46.20, Kim Vincent) won the remaining filly division on the front end in 1:59.1 over Dabigspooky Bootah and Emmys Mayflower. Trained by Vincent, the Xactly Hanover-Mitsou Hanover filly was a wire-to-wire winner, collecting her second career win. Emmys Mayflower, last week’s elimination winner and two-year-old DSBF champ, was the 1-9 favourite.
The $100,000 DSBF trotting finals will be contested on July 8.
In the overnight feature, the $11,000 Open Trot, Brian Carsey, Adam Friedland and Casey Myers' Bluebird Jesse ($5.40, Allan Davis) triumphed in 1:55.3 over Photo Bomber and Gillie The Kid. The Jim King Jr. trainee registered his third win of the year and his first at Harrington.
Kirby had three wins on the program. Vincent, Davis and Ross Wolfenden each had driving doubles.
(Harrington Raceway)