Dover: Killer Stripes victorious in DSBF final after Misty Coast has trouble

With odds-on favorite Misty Coast eliminated from contention on the first turn, Killer Stripes had clear sailing to control the terms through the final lap and record a 1:55 1/5 lifetime mark in Wednesday's (Nov. 22) $100,000 Ramona Hubbard Memorial, the final of the Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund series for 2-year-old pacing fillies at Bally's Dover.

As Dexter Dunn landed Killer Stripes in the pocket behind early leader No Gel Nikki (driven by Montrell Teague), overwhelming 1-9 choice Misty Coast stalked patiently in fourth before Art Stafford Jr. angled her off the pegs to make her move midway on the first turn. However, Misty Coast locked wheels with Direct Mist at the 27 1/5 first quarter, and the pair stopped abruptly.

Killer Stripes brushed to the lead at the bell, rated middle splits of 56 3/5 and 1:25, and edged clear of No Gel Nikki through the final turn. The Badlands Hanover-Tiger Style filly drew clear under mild encouragement to win - for the third time in as many career starts - by 7-1/2 lengths. No Gel Nikki was an isolated second, eight lengths clear of Spoiled Rotn Girl (Allan Davis), who just nabbed the flagging Clearlydreamy (Victor Kirby) for third.

Misty Coast never recovered and finished sixth in the seven-horse field.

Trainer Andrew Stafford co-owns Killer Stripes, who has now earned $70,000 in her career, with Thomas Ireland and Bonnie Benson.

Killer Stripes paid $10.00, $8.80 and $10.00 across the board; No Gel Nikki returned $53.40 and $57.60; and Spoiled Rotn Girl paid $180.20.

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In the $20,000 consolation, Ezy Ranch Inc. homebred Ezycure and Montrell Teague sustained an extended first-over bid out of third to wear down pace-setter Spicy Tuna (David Rearic) and defeat her by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:58 4/5. Mavericks Missy (Russell Foster) rallied off third-over cover to finish third.

Cory Mumford trains Ezycure, a Barber Pole-Best Business filly with three career wins and $44,150 in earnings.

--press release (DSBF)--