by Marv Bachrad, publicity director, Dover Downs

Dover, DE — Three resounding victories, by Purrfect Bags, Totally Rusty and Gigi Deo, highlighted $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund 3-year-old filly pace preliminaries on Wednesday (March 25) at Dover Downs. Tony Morgan is now two wins from 15,000 lifetime.

FotoWon photo

Purrfect Bags was a 1:52.3 winner in the opening division.

Purrfect Bags led off the DSBF action, scoring a convincing 1:52.3 victory in the first $20,000 prelim, finishing off her mile with a :27.1 final quarter to hold off Love Forbidden (Tim Tetrick) by a half-length with Fearless Chance (John MacKinnon) third.

Driver Vic Kirby took Puffect Bags three-wide to take the lead in front of the grandstand and the final outcome was never in doubt. Jim King trains the Roddy’s Bags Again-Purrfectly Bad filly for his wife, owner JoAnn King. The win gives Purrfect Bags a record of eight wins and a second in nine starts and $136,750 in earnings.

Totally Rusty was equally as impressive in a 1:53.1 conquest in her $20,000 division. Corey Callahan took the Carter Racing Stable homebred, trained by Doug Lewis, right to the lead and never looked back in racking up her ninth win with a second in 10 starts. Al ‘Rusty” Carter owns the stallion, Rusty’s For Real, and dam, Rusty’s Joy. Spin Vision (Allan Davis) was second best. Brian’s Thunder (Jim Morand) was third.

The third DSBF division was just as easy for Gigi Deo, a 1:54 winner for driver Ross Wolfenden, trainer Aaron Lambert and owners J&T Silva Stables, C&G Racing Stable and Deo Volente Farms. The Riggins-See And Be Seen filly won for the fifth time in 10 outings along with three seconds and two thirds, winning $115,300. Little Sandyloam (Jason Thompson), at 87-1, finished second with Cedar Hall Heiress (George Dennis) third.

The $20,000 second leg DSBF events are scheduled for next Wednesday.

Morgan won one race and now needs two more to win 15,000.

Tetrick and meet leader Callahan completed the program with four wins each.

Three $20,000 DSBF 3-year-old male paces complete first leg preliminaries Thursday with a $20,000 pace headlining the regular card.