by Jeff Renton, media/communications, the Woodbine Entertainment Group

CAMPBELLVILLE – Darlins Delight joined such luminaries as Cabrini Hanover, Rainbow Blue, Eternal Camnation and She’s a Great Lady with a hard-charging victory in the featured C$709,100 Fan Hanover Stakes for three-year-old filly pacers, Saturday at Mohawk.

Driven by Yannick Gingras, the daughter of Bettors Delight roared from fifth in mid-stretch to collar the odds-on pacesetter Armbro Dancer, then held off a closing My Little Dragon by three-quarters of a length, in a track record-equaling and stakes record 1:50.3.

It was the sixth win in nine outings this year for Darlins Delight, owned by White Birch Farm of Allentown, New Jersey and trained by Jeffrey Stafford.

Darlins Delight came into the Fan Hanover off a win in her elim, a similar trip when the filly came from far back over a good racetrack to win by three-quarters of a length.

Armbro Dancer, riding a two-race win streak, including the Mistletoe Shalee at the Meadowlands, took over from Ireneonthemove after a 26 second first quarter and reached the half in :54.4.

Driven by Ron Pierce, the favorite continued to comfortably lead her rivals through three-quarters in 1:22.4. But she then began to tire late, as Darlins Delight, the 7-2 third choice and the 3-1 second choice, My Little Dragon, sailed by near the finish, as she faded to third.

“It’s definitely the biggest [win] for me right now,” said Gingras. “She’s a great filly and she proved it again tonight. The cover could have taken me a little further, but I was just trying to be covered up as long as I could into the wind. I tried to stay behind John [Campbell, driving Eternitys Delight].

“Obviously it worked out. [Trainer] Jeff [Stafford] has told me she’s better off cover. I honestly didn’t believe him, but the last couple of weeks she’s flown home from an impossible spot. I had to go three deep on the last turn tonight. It’s not the best spot but she kept on digging right to the wire.”

“Definitely my biggest one [victory],” added Stafford. “I was feeling good, second-over behind John, because I know how good she can be off pace. It was just up to her from there. She’s come back just as good this year as last year, probably a little bit better. It was a huge mile here tonight. Now we’ve just got to give her a little break and go back to New York.”