by Matt Sparacino, publicity director, Harrington Raceway

Harrington, DE — The richest day in racing annually for Delaware horsemen will take place Thursday (July 24) during Governor’s Day at the Delaware State Fair at Harrington Raceway. There will be $620,000 in purses distributed over the 14-race program with a special 11:00 a.m. post time. The prestigious day of racing showcases Delaware’s best owned and bred horses.

Four $100,000 finals will be contested in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) for 3-year-old pacers and trotters.

Recently purchased Big Heart (8-5, Tony Morgan) will look to complete a sweep of the final events this year for new owners Howard Taylor, Mitch Rosenthal and Robert Feldman. Trained by Mike Hall, the Badlands Hanover colt won the April final at Dover Downs and was a decisive winner in his two elims at Harrington. A field of eight will go postward as Big Heart will start from post two in the first half of the daily double, which will be completed by the final for pacing fillies.

A highly competitive group will battle as elimination winners Ashley’s Lucky Lady (7-2, Eddie Davis, Jr.), owned by Sam Jacobs and Ron Reed, Jim McAuliffe’s Dover Dolly (3-1, Tim Tetrick) and Teague Inc.’s Sheisaknockout (4-1, Jim Morand) are the probable favorites.

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Juanita is the 9-5 favorite in her DBSF final.

In the filly trot final, Morand and Nanticoke Racing’s Juanita (9-5, Morand) will look to continue her dominance in the DSBF program, as a winner of 14 of 16 starts lifetime.

Meanwhile, the colt trotting final lacks a clear-cut favorite, as the Les Givens-trained entry of Aggressive Command (5-2, Les Givens) and Man Of Science (5-2, Brandon Givens) was installed as the morning line choice. Ron Hill and Virginia Keeler’s Indian Hill Mojoe (5-1, Hill), who won the final at Dover, drew post seven.

There are several events for older horses as well, with the centerpiece of the day being the $40,000 Governor’s Cup. Two previous winners are in the event, Kovach Stables’ Art Director (3-1, Richard Still) and last year’s winner, Arty Foster, Jr.’s Village Blitz (5-1, Morgan). The morning line choice is Carter Racing and Bobby Myers’ Immortal Quest N (5-2, Tetrick), who has banked nearly $175,000 this year. Delaware’s Governor Ruth Ann Minner will be in attendance to present the trophy to the race winner.

World record holder Ladyfield (2-1, Morgan) will look to repeat in the $30,000 Legislator’s Cup for Joyce, Kathleen and Linda Keeler. The 5-year-old Armbro Cadet mare set a world record for older mares on a half-mile track with a 1:51.4 triumph at Harrington on June 17.

The $30,000 Charles Murphy Memorial Trot is the feature for older trotters. Paul McDougall and WJ McDougall Racing’s Broke As Usual A (5-2, Ross Wolfenden) will look to pick up where he left off in the spring, as he closed out the meet with a 1:55.4 victory.

The summer/fall meet at Harrington will resume August 10 and run through October 23 with a Sunday through Thursday schedule.