Broadway Donna wins Miss Versatility
September 20, 2018,by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager
Delaware, OH — Broadway Donna got a second-over trip and took the lead in the stretch to win Thursday’s (Sept. 21) $107,000 Miss Versatility Series championship for older female trotters by 1-1/4 lengths over NF Happenstance in 1:53.1 at the Delaware County Fair. Ice Attraction finished third.
USTA/Mark Hall photo
Broadway Donna and David Miller took over late to take the $107,000 Miss Versatility final on Thursday at the Delaware County Fair.
Emoticon Hanover, the 2-1 favorite, went to the lead at the start and held that position for three-quarters of the race, guiding the field through fractions of :27, :56.1 and 1:24.1. NF Happenstance came with a first-over move following the halfway point and Broadway Donna followed her cover all the way to the final turn.
NF Happenstance took the lead from Emoticon Hanover on the turn, but was unable to hold off Broadway Donna in the stretch.
“(Emoticon Hanover) looked like she was starting to get tired and Jack (Parker Jr. with NF Happenstance) was pressing her and he was getting by her; it worked out just perfect,” winning driver David Miller said. “Jack crossed over and I never even had to go three-wide and (Broadway Donna) did the rest.”
Broadway Donna, a daughter of Donato Hanover out of Broadway Schooner, is a 5-year-old mare owned by breeder Fashion Farms and trained by Jim Campbell. She was a Dan Patch Award winner at ages 2 and 3. She has won five of 11 races this year and 22 of 43 in her career, good for earnings of $1.43 million.
“She means a lot to me,” Miller said. “I baby raced her right from the very first start and Andy McCarthy is the only other guy to sit behind her. She’s just a special horse that I care a lot about.”
Broadway Donna, who started from post seven at odds of 7-2, paid $9.80 to win.