Harrington Raceway hosted its annual Governor’s Day card during the Delaware State Fair Thursday, featuring more than $600,000 in total purses over 13 races.
The annual program is a focal point for many Delaware horsemen, as a showcase of The First State’s top standardbreds as every horse on the program is either Delaware owned and/or Delaware bred.
The coveted $40,000 Governor’s Cup is a sought after title for older horses and was won for the second straight year by Foulk Stables’ Sparky Mark ($45.80, Jon Roberts) via a pocket trip over Captive Audience and Tip It On Back. The 10-year-old Astreos stallion registered his 58th career win for trainer Trish Foulk. Governor John Carney was on hand to participate in the winner’s circle ceremonies.
Four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund final races for three-year-olds were much anticipated after two elimination legs were completed in June.
Perhaps the most stirring finish came in the male pacing final as Bags To Riches ($8.20, Tim Tetrick) overcame an overland trip in which he was parked the mile to outlast Automatic Dragon and Daiymir. Trained by co-owner Jason Skinner for Only Money Inc, it was the seventh win of the year for the Roddys Bags Again colt, who completed a sweep of DSBF final events this year.
Jo Ann Looney-King’s Logans Girl ($4.40, Victor Kirby) was an easy winner in the filly pacing final for trainer Jim King, Jr. in 1:53.4. Spanish Dream was second with Lunar Phase third. A daughter of Roddys Bags Again, Logans Girl recorded her 13th lifetime win. The race honoured the memory of the late Ben Stafford, Jr., a well-liked Delaware horseman who passed away in 2016.
The filly trotting final, named the Jack Walls Memorial, was won in dominant fashion by Nanticoke Racing and Delbert Cain’s Spoonful ($2.40, Corey Callahan) in 2:01.3 over Gogh Cinorita and Willow Mill Anna. Trained by Les Givens, the political briefing filly set all the fractions in her ninth career win, the 28th career DSBF final win for Givens. Walls was the former president of Harrington Raceway, who passed away in 2003.
Ben Brooks’ Master Clave ($2.10, Ross Wolfenden) notched his 11th career win in the male trotting final for trainer John Wilkerson, who won two races on the program. The Master Lavec gelding took the lead in deep stretch to complete a sweep of three-year-old DSBF finals. Command The Fire was second with Jiggs third. The race was named in memory of former trainer/driver Hal Belote, who was tragically killed in a racing accident.
(Harrington Raceway)