Two-time Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series champion Misty Coast began her quest for a First State hat trick with a commanding 1:53.1 win in her $20,000 first-round preliminary event for three-year-old pacing fillies on Wednesday (Nov. 29) at Bally's Dover.
Art Stafford Jr. kept the Powerful Mist-Cruisinthecoast filly reserved in fourth as Hold My Wine (Montrell Teague) worked to clear 66-1 outsider She Is Risen (Corey Callahan) for the lead just past a :27.3 first quarter. Misty Coast began her ascent out of midfield with nine-sixteenths to go, advancing uncovered as Hold My Wine controlled a :57.2 half and forging to the lead with three-eighths to go. Midway up the backstretch, Misty Coast sped clear of Hold My Wine and she immediately gained two lengths of clearance at three-quarters in 1:25.1 before using a :28 final split to equal her lifetime mark and defeat Hold My Wine by 2-3/4 lengths. She Is Risen finished third, 8-3/4 lengths farther behind.
Les Givens trains the Stephen Messick homebred, who now has won 13 times and earned $232,550 in her career. She paid $2.10 to win.
In the second division, Stafford and Chatty Kathleen ($26.60) mounted a grandstand-side rally to finish just short of 8-5 favourite Lulu Miss but was ultimately elevated to first after being deprived of her lane in deep stretch.
Lulu Mist (Trae Porter) launched her first-over attack from third as early pacesetter Spoiled Rotn Girl (Allan Davis) rated a :59 first half and dueled into the lead past three-quarters in 1:27.4. Meanwhile, Chatty Kathleen stalked the top flight from third-over before Stafford angled her three-wide into the final turn. Lulu Mist drew two lengths clear just inside the eighth pole and had ample pace to evade Chatty Kathleen's late charge by a head in 1:57.2, but she drifted into her rival's path and was disqualified to second. No Gel Nikki (Pat Berry), who rode the pocket throughout the mile, finished third, 2-1/2 lengths behind.
Dorothy Ann Conner owns and trains Chatty Kathleen, a Roddys Bags Again-Chatty Kathy filly who has won three times and earned $63,117 in her career.
Incaseyoudidntknow Takes Distaff Open
Incaseyoudidntknow grinded up first-over to win the $26,000 Fillies and Mares Open Handicap Pace at Dover on Wednesday for her fourth consecutive victory.
Sparks were flying early as Tae, My Little Captain and Southwind Icenfire all raced for early position. Incaseyoudidntknow was able to drop into fourth approaching the quarter. Favoured My Little Captain was used hard and parked to the quarter in :27 before continuing to race on the engine, leading the field to the half in :55.3. Incaseyoudidntknow moved first-over down the backstretch and drew alongside the pacesetter as they reached the three-quarters in 1:23.4. In deep stretch, Incaseyoudidntknow powered on to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:52.1. My Little Captain was second and Disturbed Hanover was third.
Incaseyoudidntknow (Always B Miki-In Deep Thought) is trained by Les Givens and owned by James Magno and Joseph Fonte. Givens drove the winner. She returned $6 to win.
Sophomore male pacers will square off in a pair of $20,000 first-round DSBF series divisions to begin Thursday's (Nov. 30) 15-race card at Bally's Dover. First post is 4:30 p.m. (EST).
(With files from Dover Downs and Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund)