Harrington Raceway’s richest program of the season is set for Thursday (July 28) on Governor’s Day at the Delaware State Fair with a 12-race card starting at 7 p.m.
More than $600,000 in total purses are at stake with four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) events for three-year-olds being the centerpiece for the program, in addition to popular annual events like the $50,000 Governor’s Cup, which showcases the top older (four years old and up) horses locally.
Most of the races also honour the memory of former legislators, dignitaries and racing participants.
On the wagering front, two healthy carryovers will spice up the betting menu as a $6,821 carryover is in the Pick 4 (Races 9-12) and a $1,301 carryover is in the Pick 5 (Races 2-6).
The first of the DSBF final events is for filly pacers and will start the program as the first half of the daily double. Gty Stable’s Gaitway Gal (7-2, Pat Berry), Odds On Racing’s Odds On Surfer Gal (5-2, Corey Callahan) and Let It Ride Stables’ Shabby Chic (7-2, Tim Tetrick) are familiar rivals who have all shared success in the DSBF program. Gaitway Gal, a daughter of Delmarvalous trained by Jeff Smith, and Badlands Hanover-sired Odds On Surfer Gal conditioned by Tony Alagna, each swept their eliminations. Shabby Chic, another Badlands Hanover-sired filly, was a two-year-old DSBF champion and is trained by Mike Hall.
The fourth leg of the Pick 5 will be the filly trotting final in Race 5 with the prohibitive favourite, Pam Wagner’s Shes All Woman (8-5, Victor Kirby), aiming to win her fifth straight race. The Anders Bluestone filly dominated her eliminations for trainer John Wagner.
The male pacing final is slated eighth on the card, with two division heavyweights set to square off in KDK Standardbreds’ Heinikin Bythebay (9-5, Tetrick) and John Dixon’s Johnny Badlands (2-1, Callahan). Heinikin Bythebay went off 1-9 in both eliminations and won easily for trainer Kevin Switzer. The Southwind Lynx gelding has won 11 of 15 starts in his career. Meanwhile, upstart Johnny Badlands, a Badlands Hanover-sired colt, set a track record in the first of his two elimination wins for owner/trainer Dixon.
The male trotting final will initiate the Pick 4 in Race 9, where the favourites drew the inside posts. Art Stafford Jr. and Wyatt Starkey’s Navy Blue (9-5, Stafford Jr.) is an Anders Bluestone gelding who easily won his eliminations for co-owner/trainer/driver Stafford Jr. Another son of Anders Bluestone, LGs Reed O Wen is a two-year-old track record holder for Nanticoke Racing and trainer Les Givens, who also swept his eliminations.
Also on the undercard are the President’s Cup (pacing horses), Legislator’s Cup (pacing mares), Charles Murphy Jr. Memorial (trotters) and a trio of DSBF consolation events.
(Harrington Raceway)