by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Jus’ Chilln Out and Ain’t Given Up picked up where they left off last fall and along with Costly Legs, the trio won opening legs of the 2004 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) three-year-old filly pace division, non-wagering events on Tuesday, April 6 at Dover Downs.

Dover Downs photo

Jus’ Chilln Out picked up where she left off in last year’s DSBF, taking the fastest division in 1:57².

Last fall, Jus’ Chilln Out swept to victory in both eliminations and finals at Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway with Ain’t Given Up second in both final events.

In the fastest $7,500 elim, Jus’ Chilln Out, a gray daughter of The Panderosa, cut out all the fractions in a 1:57² mile. Gambi Girl, driven by Kevin Sizer, closed with a rush to finish second with Madge’s Powerdream, with Art Stafford, Jr. in the bike, third.

Ain’t Given Up, a Jenna’s Beach Boy filly, also took the lead at the start and led throughout in a 1:57⁴ mile. Miss Muffet came on strongly in the stretch to finish second for Clifford Green, beaten a half length. Tug River Willow, with Hal Belote, was the third place finisher.

Dover Downs photo

Ain’t Given Up took the second division in 1:57⁴.

Both Jus’ Chilln Out and Ain’t Given up were bred and are owned by Roll The Dice Stable, the nom de course of Wilmington, Delaware attorney Joe Hurley. George Dennis drove both winners for trainer Joe Holloway.

The third division went to Costly Legs, trained by Paul Davis, now a winner of five of six career starts. Owned by Rebecca Pitre and driver Steve Warrington, the Delaware-sired filly by Wynfield Mark took the lead on the first turn and was never headed in the 1:57⁴ triumph. Ross Wolfenden drove Jay Low to within a half length of the winner with Tug River Hanna and Jim Morand finishing third.

The second of two elimination rounds of the DSBF three-year-old filly pace is slated for next Tuesday. The top eight qualifiers return for a $75,000 final on meet closing day, Thursday, April 22. First round action for DSBF three-year-old colt pacers is set for Wednesday, April 8 with two divisions starting at 3:45 p.m. They are non-wagering races.

Cams Little Imp N captures the feature

Cams Little Imp N, driven by Ross Wolfenden, took no prisoners on the way to a 1:54 victory in a $24,000 Open Handicap pace for mares on Tuesday, and last year’s Horse of the Meet, Jeff Franklin’s Rain Dance Kim, used her trademark late kick and won a $18,500 co-feature in 1:54³.

Leaving fast from post position seven, Ross Wolfenden sent Cams Little Imp N right to the front and then cut the fractions. The Camtastic 7-year-old, bred in New Zealand, recorded her third win of the year in 11 starts, to go with five seconds. She has now won $60,850 in 2004. It was the first time since Lester Walls and Jack Upchurch purchased Cams Little Imp N last month that Wolfenden was again driving her, and it resulted in her first win for her new owners.

Crossfire N (Kevin Sizer), also one of the steadiest performers all meet long, stalked the winner for the entire mile and then closed to within a nose of victory. Jett Away (Bret Brittingham), a winner of two of the previous three distaff features, closed from far back, as usual, and made up four lengths from the top of the lane to the wire, but ran out of racetrack and finished third.

Rain Dance Kim showed her old closing kick for driver Travis Bowman and came from fifth at the half-mile and overtook Ann Other Porsche (Kevin Lare), who had been the leader from the start, in the final strides and posted a 1:54³ victory and won by a neck. My Gal Phyl (Roger Hammer) took third place honors. The victory was Rain Dance Kim’s third of the year.

How About Gal, leased by trainer Bob Larrimore, sat behind Go Tune Go (Hal Belote) until the stretch, and then Clifton Green unleashed the Delaware-bred How Bout It 4-year-old mare, who zipped to victory in 1:54³. Bret’s Towner (Rusty Thomas) was placed third when Last Chance K was disqualified and placed fifth.

Carol Karter’s Kadijah and Steve Warrington were recently reunited, and the 6-year-old daughter of Jerry’s Cadet recorded a 1:54² triumph in a $12,500 mares pace. RN Artist (Roger Hammer), overlooked at 32-1, finished second and the steady Seasin (Roger Plante) finished third.

It was a big day for George Dennis. After winning two Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund preliminaries, raced as early non-wagering races, Dennis also won both of Tuesday’s trots. After guiding Max Walton’s Thepanbefore time to a 1:59² victory in a $12,500 claiming trot to open the betting portion of the card, Dennis then drove trainer John Veazey’s Minor Assault to his second consecutive win in 1:57⁴. Ironically, after a win last week and after starting from the rail this week, the 6-year-old gelding went off at 29-1. Allusive Hanover (Valerie Warnick) cut the mile and finished second in front of Tug River Earl (Hal Belote).

Scootinannirevonah, owned by David Hamm and driver Bobby Shahan, had been knocking on the door in her previous seven starts, and recorded two second and two thirds, and the 5-year-old Direct Scooter mare finally made the winner’s circle after a 1:55³ win, by a nose, in a $10,000 pace for mares. Chessy Rose (Ross Wolfenden) was the runner-up and Bit Of Trick (Eddie Davis) finished third.