Harrington, DE --- With just 12 days remaining in the Harrington Raceway meet, the first leg of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) stakes for 2-year-olds will be prominently featured over the final three weeks.
DSBF action kicks off Monday with pacing fillies going postward in four divisions. The early favorite in the division would have to be J&T Silva Stables, C&G Racing Stables and Deo Violente Farms’ Gigi Deo (9-5, Andrew McCarthy), who drew post four in the first split, the second half of the daily double as race two. A $55,000 Harrisburg sale yearling, Gigi Deo is one of the most expensive Delaware-sired horses since the inception of the DSBF program. She finished second to Bettor Be Steppin in the Kentuckiana in grand circuit action at Hoosier Park. This will be her first time over a half-mile racetrack for trainer Aaron Lambert.
Another filly whose off to an auspicious start to her career is Carter Racing Stable’s Totally Rusty (2/1, Corey Callahan), who is a homebred for Carter Racing Stable. Sired by Rusty’s For Real, Totally Rusty is the only registered foal from her sire. She took a mark of 1:53.4 in her last start at Harrah’s Philadelphia and is 2-for-2 thus far in her young career.
Joann Looney-King and her husband, trainer Jim King Jr., will look to continue a banner year with budding filly Purrfect Bags (2-1, Victor Kirby) in the final division. The daughter of Roddy’s Bags Again exploded to a five-length win in her only career start at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
The four divisions are slated second, fifth, eighth and tenth on the Monday program.
The pacing colts will headline Tuesday’s program in four divisions. This year’s group appears to be extremely competitive with early favorites among the 29 colts entered appearing to be the likes of CTC Stable’s Smoking Joey (second division, 5-2, Callahan), Seboomook Katahdin (third division, 2-1, Allan Davis) as well as a contentious fourth division that features David Hamm’s Byby Landon (2-1, Ross Wolfenden) and Michael White’s SonofaSizzle (3-1, Allan Davis). Smoking Joey, trained by Doug Lewis, and Seboomook Katahdin, conditioned by Wayne Givens, are both sons of Riggins who have started their careers with two early wins.
Byby Landon, a Dick Lewis-trainee, won his only previous start at Harrington with an impressive 27.3 last quarter, but perhaps drew into the deepest division that includes Life Sizzles-sired Sonofa Sizzle, who was third in a division of the Tompkins Geers at Tioga Downs.
The trotters will be in action on Wednesday with three divisions apiece of fillies and colts.
Two long time local Delaware trainers appear to have the preliminary favorites in the colt division as Eddie Dennis-trained Political Foe and Bob Shahan-trained Political Cash will head their divisions, which will be held as early non-wagering events at 4:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively. Owned by Stephanie Brian Cassell, Political Foe was a strong second in his last start versus older rivals. Meanwhile, Shahan and Donald Marine’s Political Cash finished third in his opening start after a series of impressive qualifiers.
Among the 22 trotting fillies, most are making their first career starts and only Shahan and George Brem’s Save The Night, has a pari-mutuel win, after winning an overnight event at Ocean Downs in 2:02.4.
Live racing is conducted nightly with a 5:30 p.m. post time.