Delaware County Fair: Broadway Donna victorious in Miss Versatility Final

Broadway Donna made her first-ever appearance on a half-mile track a winning one, prevailing in the $107,000 Miss Versatility Series final for trotting mares on Thursday afternoon at the Delaware County Fair.

Ice Attraction (Yannick Gingras) and Emoticon Hanover (Daniel Dube) battled for the early lead, but Ice Attraction would relent on the way to the 27-second opening quarter. NF Happenstance (Jack Parker Jr.) had also left, but she ducked into the open three-hole.

Emoticon Hanover would go on to reach the half in 56 1/5, and NF Happenstance came back to the outside again at that point. Broadway Donna (David Miller) had been farther back in fifth, but when Caprice Hill (Doug McNair) sat in on the way to the 1:24 1/5 three-quarters, she was able to catch up to cover to sit second-over behind NF Happenstance.

On the final bend NF Happenstance wore down Emoticon Hanover for good and crossed back down to the cones, but Broadway Donna didn't lose interest after she lost the helmet to follow, as she kept trotting forward to join NF Happenstance. Broadway Donna forged her way to the front for good in mid-stretch, and she would go on to score by a length and a quarter in a 1:53 1/5 mile. NF Happenstance was second, followed by Ice Attraction, The Erm (Matt Kakaley), and Dream Together (Bob McClure).

"Emoticon Hanover looked like she was starting to get tired," said David Miller. "Jack was pressing her and he was getting by her. It worked out just perfect. Jack crossed over, and I never even had to go three-wide. She did the rest.

"She means a lot to me. I baby-raced her right from the very first start. Andy McCarthy and Tyler Buter are the only other guys to ever sit behind her. She's just a special horse that I care a lot about."

Jim Campbell trains and Fashion Farms LLC. bred and own Broadway Donna, a 5-year-old Broadway Hall mare. She is now a 22-time winner in her life, and she pushed her bankroll to $1,430,985. She was dispatched at 7-2 and returned $9.80 to win.