Dover, DE---Use Your Noodle and Della Donne came through with impressive victories in $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund second leg 3-year-old filly pace divisions on Tuesday (April 5) at Dover Downs. Fashion Sundown closed well to win the $24,000 Mares Open.
Jim Morand made good use of a two-hole trip to overtake race-favorite Apple Bottom Jeans (Montrell Teague) in deep stretch to score a 1:52.3 lifetime mark in the first $20,000 DSBF prelim. The win was the second straight for the Artzina-Lo Gophobia sophomore beating the DSBF freshman champion. Use Your Noodle is trained by Les Givens for owners Feeney, Johnson, Faragalli III and Nanticoke Racing. Eternal Ring (Jonathan Roberts) has been racing well, but had to accept a third-place finish.
Della Donne and Corey Callahan made up for a disappointing second last week by chalking up a 1:54.3 victory, also a new personal mark, coming from post 8 and on the mid-backstretch went four-wide to get the lead and pull off to a convincing victory. The Dylan Davis trainee won for the fourth time this year in five starts for Brit Evans, Tina Clark and Foulk Stables who own the Art Director-Chloes Silver Star filly. Fiftyshadesofrusty (George Dennis) cut out all the fractions until Della Donne flew by in the stretch to victory. Rowdy Patti (Tony Morgan) picked up third money.
The top eight point-getters return next Tuesday for one of a weeklong cavalcade of $100,000 DSBF finals.
Fashion Showdown, who finished February and began March with powerful Mare Open wins, returned to the winner’s circle after Corey Callahan raced behind leader Empress Deo (Allan Davis) collared the leader nearing the finish line and scored a 1:52 victory for Chris White, her fifth success of the year. Craig McInnis conditions the Village Jolt-Catch The Show 6-year-old who now has banked $$63,480 this year and $218,885 lifetime on 19 wins. Paradise Lost (Vic Kirby) finished third with Sage N (Tim Tetrick) and Sassa Hanover (Morand) out of the money.
World champion JL Cruze takes on seven rivals in a $36,000 Open Preferred trot, the Wednesday feature race along with a pair of $20,000 DSBF prelims.
Monday through Thursday racing begins at 4:30 p.m. Dover Downs is dark on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.