Dover: Curtsyforpurrseco doubles up in DSBF prelims

Jo Ann Looney-King's Curtsyforpurrseco ($2.40) became the lone 2-year-old pacing filly with a shot at sweeping the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) series at Bally's Dover after winning her $20,000 second round preliminary division on Wednesday (Nov. 15) in a lifetime-best 1:56 4/5.

Curtsyforpurrseco, who squared off against fellow first round winners Smalltown Bad Girl and Designs On You in the first of three second round splits, was parked in third early after Smalltown Bad Girl (driven by Victor Kirby) secured the lead over American Marvel (George Dennis) through a 28 1/5 first quarter. Tim Tetrick drove on with Curtsyforpurrseco with a lap to go, and the Roddy's Bags Again-Purrfectly Bad filly strode clear and controlled middle splits of 58 3/5 and 1:28 1/5. After rebuffing a first-over challenge from Designs On You (Allan Davis) through the far turn, Curtsyforpurrseco evaded a late rally from runner-up Smalltown Bad Girl to win by a length. Designs On You faded to third.

Jim King Jr. trains the Winbak Farm-bred Curtsyforpurrseco, whose fifth career win brought her total earnings to $49,771.

In the second division, Bad Nella Monella ($10.60) and Ross Wolfenden endured an eventful journey en route to a maiden-breaking 1:58 1/5 score over 3-5 favorite Slipinsidewayz (Victor Kirby). The daughter of Badlands Hanover-Nella's Bus sprinted clear to a 2 1/2 length lead in the first sixteenth before yielding to Grace O'Malley (Tony Morgan) at the completion of a 28 3/5 first quarter. Up the backstretch, Slipinsidewayz surged out of midfield into the lead, and Wolfenden angled Bad Nella Monella out of a failing pocket to protect second at three-quarters in 1:29 1/5. Bad Nella Monella then closed a three length gap through the final three-sixteenths and lunged to just nab Slipinsidewayz in the final stride. Salma (Pat Berry) was third.

Trainer Andrew Stafford owns Bad Nella Monella, who has earned $16,400 in five starts, with Bonnie Benson, Thomas Ireland and Brian Martin.

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Bella's Dream ($3.20) and Tony Morgan also won in 1:58 1/5, brushing from third to clear Jett Propelled (Art Stafford Jr.) with a lap to go before parrying an outside bid from Makemymommaproud (Eric Davis) up the backstretch and evading Jett Propelled by 2 1/4 lengths in the final division. Classic Diamond (Corey Callahan) was a ground-saving third.

Steve LeBlanc trains Bella's Dream, a two-time winner in 11 starts with $46,230 in the bank, for LeBlanc Racing Inc., Count De Money Stable, William Lutz Jr. and Douglas Johnson.

The eight fillies who qualified for the $110,000 Ramona Hubbard DSBF final, to take place next Wednesday (Nov. 22), are as follows: Curtsyforpurrseco, Smalltown Bad Girl, Bad Nella Monella, Bella's Dream, Designs On You, Jet Propelled, American Marvel and Slipinsidewayz.

--press release (DSBF)--