Delaware County Fair: 2YO fillies face off in Standardbred Stakes
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Two days worth of Standardbred Stakes, a Grand Circuit event, got going on Wednesday afternoon at the Delaware County Fair with races for 2-year-old fillies.
Driver Dexter Dunn, trainer Virgil Morgan Jr., owner Odds On Racing and breeder Odds On Nourrir won both $27,500 pacing races with Odds On Hialeah and Odds On Chesapeake.
Odds On Hialeah knocked off Papi Grad in the first flight. Odds On Hialeah gave way to sit in the two-hole and track Papi Grad (Brett Miller) coming to the 27 second opening quarter and remained in that spot as Papi Grad reached the half in 55 1/5 and the three-quarters in 1:23 4/5. On the last turn Dunn brought Odds On Hialeah off the pylons, and she surged past Papi Grad in the stretch to post the victory by three-parts of a length in a stakes record 1:51 4/5. Strange Summer (Miller) checked in third.
Odds On Hialeah, a Lather Up filly, is five-for-six in the win column, has pocketed $142,250 and paid $7.80 to win as the 5-2 second choice.
Odds On Chesapeake captured the other pacing test from first-up in 1:52 4/5. Blessed Hanover (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) released Time Of Season (Anthony MacDonald) to the point en route to the 27 2/5 quarter but moved to the outside on the second turn and took charge. Once in command, Odds On Chesapeake reached the half in 55 4/5 and the three-quarters in 1:24 4/5, with Odds On Chesapeake nose-to-nose with her at the latter marker after going first-over from third.
On the far turn Odds On Chesapeake surged by Blessed Hanover and held sway from there to the finish line, scoring by a length. Blessed Hanover had to settle for second as the 2-5 favorite and Chanceoflightning (Andy McCarthy) rallied from last to third.
The victorious filly is by Downtbytheseaside and made her third appearance in the winner's circle. She has put away $50,200 and returned $7.20 to win.
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In the first $26,500 split for the trotters, Can It Be Magic (Mike Wilder) yielded to sit in the pocket behind Payback Moni (Brady Brown) nearing the 28 3/5 quarter and continued to stalk her through middle-half panels of 58 4/5 and 1:28. In the lane Can It Be Magic rallied to the outside of Payback Moni and was able to get up late to prevail by three-quarters of a length in 1:57 4/5. M-M's Charm (Peter Wrenn) overcame a miscue past the start to get third.
A daughter of Cantab Hall, Can It Be Magic was bred by June Durand, who shares ownership with Ruth Altmeyer, Tom Durand and Heather Wilder. Dan Altmeyer trains Can It Be Magic, who won for the second time in her seventh try and has now earned $33,880. She paid $19.60 to win as an 8-1 shot.
Country Victory (Scott Zeron) set a quick tempo of 27, 56 1/5 and 1:24 4/5 in the other trotting division, but pocket-sitter Nikki Strikes (David Miller) slid to the outside on the final bend and was able to out-foot Country Victory in the lane to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:55. Blueberry (Todd McCarthy) came first-over out of third before three-quarters but was unable to advance out of that spot.
By Father Patrick, Nikki Strikes was bred by John Kuhns and is owned by trainer Burlin Brower. She has a summary of 3-2-2 from nine outings, has banked $28,588 and returned $37.60 to win as a 17-1 offering.