Harrington, DE – Harrington Raceway’s richest program of the season will kickoff the Delaware State Fair Thursday (July 23) as 12-races with more than $600,000 in total purses will be contested.
Post time is 7 p.m., as the card highlights the top Delaware-owned horses in the events for older horses and top state-bred horses in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund $110,000 final events for 3-year-olds. The first DSBF final is the 6th race on the program, as Don and Dave Wiest’s Tuis Star (2/1, Corey Callahan) will look to atone for a miscue in the second leg of stakes action, when she made a break as the 1-to-9 favorite. The EL Platinum filly is trained by co-owner Dave Wiest. Stacy Johnson-Stafford (trainer) and Wyatt Starkey’s Emerys Angel is among her chief rivals, after winning both her eliminations. The Top Flight Angel filly will vie for her 7th career win.
The pacing colt final is next up in race 7, as the two favorites drew inside. Ervin Miller Stable, James Frawley and James Knowlton’s C Millertimeagain (9/5, Corey Callahan) and Burke Racing Stable, Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi’s Watch Em Win (7/5, Tim Tetrick) drew the inside posts respectively. C Millertimeagain, a Roddy’s Bags Again gelding, had a win and a second in his elims for trainer Molly Gara, while Watch Em Win was a perfect 2-for-2 in his preliminaries for trainer Ron Burke.
The 8th race is the filly pacing final, with Rodney Wyatt and Jason Skinner’s Warren’s Charm (9/5, Tim Tetrick) drawing the outside post after winning both of her eliminations for trainer Skinner. The He’s Watching filly was a 2-year-old DSBF champ and will square off with a contentious field that includes Anthony Carson’s Lovers Cay (5/2, Brandon Givens). Lovers Cay, a Sports Column filly, won both her eliminations for trainer Kristyann Rash.
The last of the DSBF finals is the 10th race, the male trotting final. E&K Stable and Robert Nibblet Jr.’s Topflight Champion (7/5, Eddie Dennis) dominated his eliminations and figures to be an overwhelming favorite for trainer/co-owner Dennis. The Top Flight Angel colt has won 9 of 16 starts in his career.
Always a popular race for local bragging rights is the $50,000 Governor’s Cup for aged pacers. A wide open field will fulfill the annual event as Evm Racing’s Wehadababyetzaboy (4/1, Brandon Givens) drew the outside post eight after a terrific campaign this year, when he has banked $141,005 already for trainer Chuck Crissman Jr. Rich Ashley and Michael Cain’s Steven’s Saloon (7/2, Jason Thompson) has been a stalwart on the local circuit with $119,240 banked for trainer Joe Hunderptfund Jr. Owner/trainer Bob Glassmeyer has the two inside horses, Sweet Angel Boy (5/1, Art Stafford Jr.) and Mr. Three O Five (9/2, Montrell Teague).
Legacy Racing and Hazzard Racing Stable’s Armada Hanover (5/2, Tim Tetrick) has won two straight races heading into the event. Andrew Stafford and Tom Ireland’s Hotchkiss (12/1, Mike Cole), Bob Bailey’s My Miki Beach (20/1, Troy Beyer) and Tlb Racing’s Cerulean Hanover (20/1, Ryder Skinner) complete the field.
The $35,000 Legislator’s Cup features the state’s top pacing mares with Frank Chick’s Stevie Hanover (8/5, Montrell Teague) projected to be a short-priced favorite off stellar recent form, that has included 3 wins in her last 4 starts. Only Bryan Truitt’s Almost Persuaded (5/2, Russell Foster) has recently beaten her, as the 4-year-old Captaintreacherous mare recently surpassed $100,000 in seasonal earnings. Bob Shahan’s Jett Propelled (4/1, Jason Thompson) also cannot be dismissed as the Roddy’s Bags Again 5-year-old mare is over $100,000 in seasonal earnings for the 3rd straight year with a field-best $165,150.
The $35,000 Charles Murphy Jr. Memorial Trot will feature the state’s top trotters. Two Open-level heavy hitters in George and Tina Dennis’ Every Day Dan (5/2, Mike Cole) and Breakaway Racing and Yorwollohan Racing’s Speed Away (2/1, Corey Callahan) figure to be popular choices in the betting. Every Day Dan has four wins at the current meet for trainer Joe Columbo, while former horse of the meet Speed Away (trainer Nick Callahan) continues to be a formidable threat weekly in the top overnight trots as both horses have earned more than $100,000 this year.
A moment of silence will be held prior to the card’s first race, honoring former Chief Operating Officer of Racing/General Manager James Boese, who passed away on June 26 with the first race named in his memory. The well-liked Boese served 27 years in his position.
After Thursdays card the live meet will resume hiatus status until racing returns August 17.