Downbytheseaside (Chris Page) cruised to an easy victory in the $69,000 (div.) Standardbred for two-year-old pacing colts in 1:50, breaking the world record by one and four-fifths of a second, highlighting the opening day action at the Delaware County Fair.
Downbytheseaside was pushed off the gate and cleared the field of seven at the quarter-mile pole forcing Some Attitude (Peter Wrenn) to sit second and Fear The Dragon (Trace Tetrick) third. Page was allowed to set the fractions of :26.4, :54.3 and 1:21.4 and coasted home with a final quarter of :28.1 to establish the new world mark on a half-mile track. Fear The Dragon was four and three-quarter lengths back in second. Some Attitude held on for third.
The freshman colt by Somebeachsomewhere is trained by Brian Brown for Country Club Acres, Joe Sbrocco and Richard Lombardo. Another Brown trainee, Spider Man Hanover, owned the previous world record set in last year’s Standardbred.
The first division was won by a gutsy Bettors Pick and Kayne Kauffman in a lifetime-best 1:53.4.
When the wings of the starting gate opened, Cinnaber Dragon (Peter Wrenn) and Dragnet Alert (Aaron Merriman) both left hard and battled for the early lead. Dragnet Alert cleared the field past the quarter in :27.1. Bettors Pick was the first to challenge as the field went by the half in :56.3. Dragnet Alert kept the lead past the three-quarter-mile mark in 1:24.4, but a game Bettors Pick would not be denied and scored a half-length victory over Dragnet Alert. Cinnabar Dragon held on for third.
The freshman son of Bettors Delight is trained by Ben Davis for Brent Hooper, Kyle Gray and James Davis.
A new stakes record was established in the first division of the $121,800 (div.) Ohio Breeders Championship for freshman pacing fillies. Bye Bye Felicia (Chris Page) scored a two-length victory over a closing Rosas Choice (Mike Wilder) and Zoe Ellasen (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) in 1:55.
The Woodstock lass is conditioned by Delaware’s Brian Brown for his wife Jennifer Brown, Dean Davis, Joyce McClelland and Steve Mullet. The win was Bye Bye Felicia’s fourth in eight seasonal starts.
Jayes A Lady (Tyler Smith) scored a big upset in the second $60,900 division at 64–1. Ellasen (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) and Type A Grey (Chris Page) traded the lead in the first three-quarters of a mile. Berazzled (Peter Wrenn) grabbed the lead in mid-stretch, but a fast-closing Jayes A Lady edged Berazzled by three-quarters of a length at the wire. The daughter of McArdle broke her maiden with the 1:55.3 win.
Jayes A Lady is owned by Caviart Farms and trained by Nancy Johansson.
Delaware also hosted a trio of amateur driving events, the USTA’s Standardbred Driving Championship and two Billings series events.
Anthony Somone representing the Mid-Western Amateur Driving Club went gate-to-wire with A J Corbelli to win the Standardbred Driving Championship in 1:56.2. The event features drivers from ten driving clubs from across the United States.
The Billings Amateur Trot events were won by Heza Rube (Bob Troyer) and A Crown For Lindy (Joseph Lee). The win was Troyer’s record sixth in the Billings series at the Delaware County Fair.
Post time on Monday is at 3 p.m.
(With files from Little Brown Jug)