A gorgeous summer evening and Delaware’s top standardbreds filled the backdrop on the annual Delaware State Fair program at Harrington Raceway on Thursday, July 23 as 12 races were contested on the richest program of the year for local harness racing.
More than $915,000 in total purses were distributed to many of The First State’s top owned and/or bred horses as a quartet of $154,930 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) finals for three-year-olds are among the headliners for the program.
The first DSBF final was for filly trotters as Don and David Wiest’s Tuis Star ($2.10, Corey Callahan) atoned for a miscue in her second elimination with a 1:59.4 triumph in a tight photo over Emerys Angel (Art Stafford) and Crazy Amy (Tony Morgan). The EL Platinum filly notched her seventh career win for trainer and co-owner David Wiest.
Erv Miller, Joellen Frawley and James Knowlton’s C Millertimeagain ($3.60, Corey Callahan) was a 1:52.3 winner in the pacing colt and gelding final over Watch Em Win (Tim Tetrick) and Roman Raider (Morgan). The Molly Gara-trainee recorded his fifth win in six starts this year. C Millertimeagain was a wire-to-wire winner.
Anthony Carson’s Lovers Cay ($4.80, Brandon Givens) completed a sweep of the filly pacing division. After winning both her eliminations she was a front-end winner over Moms Vision (Allan Davis) and Sucha Sporty Girl (Shane Griffith). Trainer Kristyann Rash assumed training duties of the Sports Column filly as a sophomore, and is now on a three-race win streak. Givens had a driving double.
E&K Stable and Robert Nibblett’s Top Flight Champion ($2.10, pictured above with Eddie Dennis) was one of the most impressive winners on the card, with an eight-length romp over Thiskissformaryell (Jim Morand) and Money Manager (Ross Wolfenden). Top Flight Champion, a son of Top Flight Angel, has won 8-of-11 starts as a three-year-old for co-owner/trainer/driver Dennis and has prevailed by at least four lengths in each triumph during his current five-race win streak.
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer was on hand to present the trophy in the $70,423 Governor’s Cup, a popular annual race for the top aged male pacers that saw Evm Racing’s Wehadababyetzaboy ($3.20, Brandon Givens) notch his ninth win of the year with a dominant 1:51.2 performance over Stevens Saloon (Jason Thompson) and Mr Three O Five (Montrell Teague). The seven-year-old Sweet Lou gelding made the lead with a charge near the half-mile and drew away from the field for a five-length romp for trainer Chuck Crissman.
In the $49,296 Legislator’s Cup, showcasing the top pacing mares, Bob Shahan’s Jett Propelled ($4.60, Jason Thompson) continued a banner season with a 1:52.3 victory in a tight photo over Stevie Hanover (Teague) and Almost Persuaded (Russ Foster). Jett Propelled has banked more than $252,000 this year for owner/trainer Shahan, and is one of the top offspring of sire Roddys Bags Again.
Trotter Speed Away ($3.40, Corey Callahan) continued his affinity for the Harrington half-mile oval with a 1:56.4 victory in the $49,296 Charles Murphy Jr. Memorial over Muscledover (Tetrick) and Black Hope (Morand). Owned by Breakaway Racing and Yorwollohan Racing Team for trainer Nick Callahan, the win was his sixth of the year. Most of his wins the last three seasons have come at Harrington.
A trio of $28,169 DSBF consolation events were also held on the card and the $35,211 Presidents Cup, which resulted in one of four wins on the card for driver Corey Callahan, who guided Jason Johnson-trained Saulsbrook Genesis ($16.60) to victory for owners Nick Callahan, Yorwollohan Racing, Greg Godbout and Gary Evans.
A moment of silence was held before the first race honoring longtime Harrington Raceway GM/Chief Operating Officer Jim Boese, who passed away in late June, with the first race behind named in his honour. Nearly all of the races celebrated the memory of dignitaries, community stalwarts and/or racing participants.
Live racing will resume on Aug. 17, with first post time at 4:30 p.m.
(Harrington Raceway)