by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Commitment To Win pulled a stunning 12-1 upset while No Picnic scored a courageous victory in the two Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund $100,000 finals for female trotters and pacers, respectively, at Dover Downs on Saturday (Dec. 3). Driver Jon Roberts joined the 2,000 win club with a score on Saturday.

Commitment To Win (#5) was a nose winner in the $100,000 DSBF final for 2-year-old filly trotters.

Prohibitive favorite Alleigh Girl appeared on the way to her seventh consecutive victory in the stretch, but was deterred when Roger Plante guided Commitment To Win to a surprise victory in the $100,000 filly trot final, scoring a 2:00.1 triumph.

Josh Green and Baron Racing Stable own the CR Commando-Independence distaff, who notched her first win of the season in only her fifth lifetime start. Alleigh Girl (Ross Wolfenden) was passed in the final steps but held second, with La Vita Loca Rusty (Brad Hanners) securing third place.

“She’s been improving in each of her starts,” said winning driver Plante. “She had plenty of trot when we turned for home and she was game the rest of the way.”

Co-owner and trainer Josh Green was elated in the winner’s circle.

“(Commitment To Win) has had some problems and has been sick all training season. But she showed promise and has been getting better every week.”

The victory gives the filly earnings of $60,060 to date.

No Picnic scored in 1:55.4 in the $100,000 DSBF 2-year-old filly pace final.

The $100,000 filly pace final was no picnic for No Picnic. The bay daughter of Badlands Hanover-Michiko withstood two hard-hitting assaults during her winning 1:55.4 mile.

First Genie’s Genie (Tony Morgan) tried to overtake No Picnic to no avail on the backstretch. Then after shaking her off, Designer Bags (Allan Davis) darted out of third three-wide and chased the winner the length of the stretch.

The win was the sixth in 10 starts for No Picnic and owners LeBlanc Racing and Badlands Racing. She has now banked $117,871.

“(No Picnic) has been a pleasure since we broke her,” remarked trainer Steve LeBlanc. “She showed what kind of a filly she is with that big finish.”

Co-owner John Celii (Badlands Racing), who owns No Picnic’s sire Badlands Hanover, said he and LeBlanc picked her out of the (Winbak) Chesapeake Yearling Sale.

“Even though I bred a couple of the other fillies in the final, this is the one I wanted,” said Celii.

Two more $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund 2-year-old finals are set for Sunday when the colts and geldings battle it out in contests for pacers and trotters.

Fotowon photos

Jon Roberts won his 2,000th career race on Saturday.

In $20,000 DSBF consolations, Vince Copeland piloted Roddy’s Girl to a 1:57.2 success in one of the filly pace consolations. The Roddy’s Bags Again-Terro Franco N brown filly bested Triple Wire (Jason Lynch) and Ann’s Obsession (Bryan Truitt).

Da Boss Lady romped to a 2:03 victory in the $20,000 DSBF filly trot consolation. Trainer-driver Les Givens drove the Don Boss Vita-Rompaway Ruth freshman quickly to the lead and then won easily. Melody Lou (Roger Plante) was second in front of Freedom Queen (Tony Morgan).

It took only Jon Roberts’ third drive of the night to make the winner’s circle, reaching a 2,000 win milestone. Roberts drove owner-trainer Ralph Shoemaker’s veteran trotter Rumpointer to victory in the fifth race.

Colt pacers, trotters meet in $100,000 DSBF 2-year-old finals

The Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund 2-year-old stakes come to a close on Sunday (Dec. 4) with two $100,000 finals, one featuring colt pacers, the other colt trotters at Dover Downs. Post time is 5:30 p.m.

In the colt pace final, Gary and Barbara Iles’ homebred Shaving Mug, reined by Montrell Teague, has won his last five and is a prohibitive favorite.

Tim Tetrick will drive Flying Instructor for Niel Gargiulo, Louie Paglierani, Legacy and Nanticoke Racings and It’s Outta Here, with Ross Wolfenden driving for owners Greg Simendinger and trainer Eli Scott, both are also prelim winners.

Last week Chizzled In Stone, owned by Jeannie Shahan, George Brem and Bob McGee, piloted by Jon Roberts, along with Jeannie Shahan and Don Marine entrymate Hot Shot Dresser with Tony Morgan and Ron Dixon’s Ken Kam and Vic Kirby, were second-place finishers in prelims.

Frank Condurso and trainer Bobby Myers’ Somethinginthewind, handled by Brad Hanners, and Pacific Perch with Art Stafford, Jr. complete the line-up.

In the $100,000 DSBF trot, Nanticoke Racing and driver Ross Wolfenden’s Windshield has a six-race win streak and drew outside post eight. Lois and Earl Walters and E&K Stable’s I’m So Striking, trained and driven by Eddie Dennis, also has won two prelims.

Wyatt Starkey and trainer-driver Art Stafford, Jr.’s Bold Strike and Ollie and Betty Ervin’s Klondike Mike, handled by Rick Murphy, have seconds in prelims.

The other starters include Bart Cavanagh’s Montchanin (Kim Vincent), This Is Am (Eddie Davis, Jr.) racing for Susan Durham and trainer Linda MacDonald, Left Alone Ranger (Corey Callahan) owned by Shaun Callahan and Dawn Amiss, along with Take Notice (Jim Thompson).