DOVER, Del— Lunar Phase, last week a 40-1 longshot winner, now the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) Three-Year-Old Filly Pace harness racing champion winning the $100,000 Delaware-sired title at Dover Downs.
Art Stafford Jr., trains, drives and co-owns Lunar Phase with Wyatt Starkey, enjoyed a 2-hole trip behind race favorite Vic Kirby-driven Logan's Girl, who had a three-race win streak at race time. In the stretch, Stafford pulled out and overtook the leader to score a lifetime fastest 1:52.1 victory.
"She was underdeveloped last year and only raced five times with one win, but she came back stronger this year." said Stafford,
The daughter of Roddy's Bags Again-Blue Moon Artist was bred by Dr. Bill Moffett. Logan's Girl went the biggest mile of her career and finished second. Diva Demands (Corey Callahan) edged Free Flight Fran (Ross Wolfenden) for third place. Spanish Dream was scratched.
The $20,000 DSBF consolation was all Westwood Roddylee driven by Tim Tetrick, a wire-to-wire 1:54.1 winner or trainer Jason Skinner and breeder-owner Joel and Dianne Halpern. The win was the first of 2017 for the Roddy's Bags Again-Lee's Best homebred. It was her fifth win lifetime bringing her bankroll to $60,460.
In the $20,000 Mares Open Handicap, Montrell Teague who won four races sent Apple Bottom Jeans right to the front from post 7 and was in charge the rest of a 1:51 mile to score her fourth win of the year and 12th lifetime in 29 starts with 10 seconds, extending her total purse earnings to $365,824 for KDK Standardbreds. Shine N Simmer (Callahan) was a strong second with 23-1 In The Shadows (Tony Morgan) third.
The third of four $100,000 DSBF Finals is set for Wednesday headed by Spoonful, Love Is Blind and Willow Mill Anna in an eight horse field. Tough Mac leaves from the outside meeting Gural Hanover, Wind Of The North, Celebrity Pegasus, Market Share and Streamsong, in a powerhouse field of sic in the $20,000 Open Handicap trot.
Montrell Teague led the driver totals with four winners, Corey Callahan, Tony Morgan, trainer Clyde Francis and owner George Teague had two wins each.
$100,000 DSBF FILLY TROTS; TOUGH MAC IN TOP TROT WEDNESDAY
DOVER, Del. —Spoonful and Luv Is Blind lead a field of eight filly trotters in the $100,000 Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) Final on Wednesday, April 12 at Dover Downs. First post is 4:30 p.m.
Spoonful, completed her freshman season winning the DSBF $100,000 final at Dover last November and has won both her $20,000 preliminaries for owners Delbert Cain and Nanticoke Racing with Jim Morand driving. Luv Is Blind won a $20,000 prelim in 2:00 with Vic Kirby piloting a wire-to-wire victory for Steve Moss and Hal and Helene Solomon. She finished second behind Spoonful last week. and Willow Mill Stable’s Willow Mill Anna was a 33-1 upset winner last week with Donnie Long driving.
The other starters are: Cinbrew Ent., Chambers, and LBL Hrs Racing’s Gogh Cinorita, who has raced well, with a second and a third for Ross Wolfenden. Bob Shahan’s Ohtobetheone piloted by Tony Morgan, has raced well. The rest of the field includes Faith On The Hill, owned by Emerson, Zack and Dawn Amiss, from the rail with Mist Stable’s Black Magic Mist and Art Stafford Jr., alongside. Don Marine’s Political Energy steered by Corey Callahan, had inside posts in prelims now is post 7.
There is also a $20,000 DSBF consolation
Mike Casalino’s Tough Mac (Callahan) drew the outside in the final $20,000 Open Handicap trot. The Dylan Davis-trainee has won five features already this year. Little E, Panhalenic Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and Burke Racing’s Gural Hanover (Tony Morgan), Daryl Bier and Joann Dombeck’s Wind Of The North (Kirby), Celebrity Pegasus (Stafford Jr.) racing for ken Wood, Bill Dittmar, Steve Iaquinta an Minisink Farms will be tough contenders. Not to be excluded is 2012 Hanmbletonian winner Market Share (Tetrick), owned by Richard Gutnick, Bill Blueberry Augustine and TLP Stable and Streamsong (Jonathan Roberts), a winner of two of his last three from the rail.
Wednesday and Thursday post time is 4:30 p.m. The 2016-2017 meet comes to an end Thursday, April 13.
Parking and admission are free. Reservations are suggested for the Winner's Circle Restaurant’s acclaimed Buffet and for the 4-star Dover Downs Hotel. Call 302-674-4600. Top harness and thoroughbred races are featured in the Racing and Sports Book daily for 12 Noon until 12 Midnight.
Marv Bachrad