Harrington, DE – A gorgeous summer evening and Delaware’s top Standardbreds filled the backdrop on the annual Delaware State Fair program at Harrington Raceway on Thursday (July 23) as 12 races were contested on the richest program of the year for local harness racing.
More than $650,000 in total purses were distributed to many of The First State’s top owned and/or bred horses as a quartet of $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) finals for 3-year-olds were among the headliners for the program.
The first DSBF final was for filly trotters as Don and David Wiest’s Tuis Star ($2.10, driver Corey Callahan) atoned for a miscue in her second elimination with a 1:59.4 triumph in a tight photo over Emerys Angel and Crazy Amy. The EL Platinum filly notched her seventh career win for trainer and co-owner David Wiest.
Erv Miller, Joellen Frawley and James Knowlton’s C Millertimeagain ($3.60, Corey Callahan) was a 1:52.2 winner in the pacing colt and gelding final over Watch Em Win and Roman Raider. The Molly Gara-trainee recorded his fifth win in six starts this year. C Millertimeagain was a wire-to-wire winner.
Anthony Carson Jr.’s Lovers Cay ($4.80, Brandon Givens) completed a sweep of the filly pacing division. After winning both her eliminations, she was a front-end winner over Mom’s Vision and Sucha Sporty Girl. Trainer Kristyann Rash assumed training duties of the Sports Column filly as a sophomore, and is now on a three-race win streak. Givens had a driving double.
E&K Stable and Robert Nibblett Jr.’s Topflight Champion ($2.10, Eddie Dennis) was one of the most impressive winners on the card, with an 8-3/4-length romp over Thiskissformaryell and Money Manager. Topflight Champion, a son of Top Flight Angel, has won 8-of-11 starts as a 3-year-old for co-owner/trainer/driver Dennis and has prevailed by at least 4 lengths in each triumph during his current 5-race win streak.
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer was on hand to present the trophy in the $50,000 Governor’s Cup, a popular annual race for the top older male pacers that saw Evm Racing’s Wehadababyetzaboy ($3.20, Brandon Givens) notch his ninth win of the year with a dominant 1:51.2 performance over Steven’s Saloon and Mr Three O Five. The 7-year-old Sweet Lou gelding made the lead with a charge near the half-mile point and drew away from the field for a 5-1/4-length romp for trainer Chuck Crissman.
In the $35,000 Legislator’s Cup, showcasing the top pacing mares, Bob Shahan’s Jett Propelled ($4.60, Jason Thompson) continued a banner season with a 1:52.3 victory in a tight photo over Stevie Hanover and Almost Persuaded. Jett Propelled has banked more than $180,000 this year for owner/trainer Shahan and is one of the top offspring of sire Roddy’s Bags Again.
Trotter Speed Away ($3.40, Corey Callahan) continued his affinity for the Harrington half-mile oval with a 1:56.4 victory in the $35,000 Charles Murphy Jr. Memorial over Muscledover and Black Hope. Owned by Breakaway Racing and Yorwollahan Racing Team for trainer Nick Callahan, it was his sixth win of the year. Most of his wins the last three seasons have come at Harrington.
A trio of $20,000 DSBF consolation events were also held on the card and the $20,000 Presidents Cup, which resulted in one of four wins on the card for driver Corey Callahan, who guided Jason Johnson-trained Saulsbrook Genesis ($16.60) to victory for owners Nick Callahan, Yorwollahan Racing, Greg Godbout and Gary Evans.
A moment of silence was held before the first race honoring longtime Harrington Raceway GM/Chief Operating Officer Jim Boese, who passed away in late June, with the first race behind named in his honor. Nearly all of the races celebrated the memory of dignitaries, community stalwarts and/or racing participants.
Live racing will resume on Aug. 17 (post time 4:30 p.m. EDT).