Delaware’s top owned and bred horses will be showcased Thursday as $620,000 in total purses will be up for grabs as part of the annual Governor’s Day of racing
during the Delaware State Fair at Harrington Raceway.
There will be four $100,000 final events for Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) horses featured on the card, as well as a quartet of $20,000 consolations. There is a special 11 a.m. post time.
The first DSBF final will be contested fourth on the 14-race program as the filly trotters will go postward. A powerful Les-Givens trained entry of Nanticoke Racing, Delbert and Michael Cain’s Status Symbol, Nanticoke Racing’s Miss Snazz, and Winbak Farm’s Commando Chic head a field of eight in the Jack Walls Memorial.
The colt trotters will take center stage in the ninth race in the $100,000 Hal Belote Memorial. An evenly matched group including Dover Downs final winner Par Done My Putt, owned by Mike Gannon, as well as Harrington elimination winners Rod Allen’s Airborne Commando and Sal Sciarrino’s Wygant Knight are among the participants. Susan Durham and Linda MacDonald’s Leland forms a two-horse entry with Janet Swain and Joe Macdonald’s Red Rascal as they bid for an upset in the competitive group.
As for the pacers, an equally competitive field will battle in the $100,000 event named in honour of Genie Anderson. Stephanie and Brian Cassell’s McMurray Hanover, Ben Stafford and Trevor Donaldson’s Scout Hanover, Art and Andrew Stafford’s Smoke Em Up, Kostas Tsanakos’ Superbad Hanover and Louie Paglierani’s Lous Bad Yankee each won eliminations and are among the field as is Dover Downs champion Golden Gladiator for the Wiz Kids Stable.
Trainer George Teague brings an intimidating three-horse entry to the table in the filly pacing final, including standout No Bad Luck for Badlands Racing and co-owner Teague, who swept the Dover events and won both Harrington elims. Badlands Racing and Teague’s Model Legs is part of the group and also won both her elims at Harrington, but must deal with Post 8. Vip Stable and Dennis Polimeni’s Naughty Indeed completes the entry. Bryan O. Truitt and Bryan J. Truitt’s Iosmio is among rivals bidding for an upset. The Badlands Hanover filly swept her elimination races to earn her berth in Thursday’s final.
The $40,000 Governor’s Cup is the featured event for aged pacers on the card, while the $30,000 Legislator’s Cup, named in memory of Senator Thurman Adams Jr., the $30,000 Charles Murphy Memorial Trot and $20,000 President’s Cup are among races on the undercard.
(Harrington Raceway)