Harrington: Bobby Quillen Memorial ahead on Monday
The 14th edition of the $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial and 2-year-old eliminations in the first leg of Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) stakes action headline the September 20 program at Harrington Raceway.
The Quillen Memorial has historically drawn some of racing's top aged pacers over the years including the likes of Foiled Again, Wiggle It Jiggleit, Maltese Artist, Mister Big, etc. The race honors the memory of the popular long-time Delaware legislator who was an avid harness racing fan and always had the horsemen's interests at heart.
This year's event is the ninth race on the 14-race program and includes a deep field whose career bankroll is in excess of $4 million. Local horse Jack's Legend N (3-1, Pat Berry) drew the coveted rail and is riding the wave of a two-race win streak over the track despite outside posts for trainer and co-owner Josh Green. Green and partners Rich Lombardo, David Kryway and Eric Good own the 7-year-old Bettor's Delight gelding who has banked nearly $600,000 in his career.
Tattoo Artist (2-1, Tim Tetrick) is the morning line favorite for owners Let It Ride Stables, Diamond Creek Racing and J&T Silva. The Chris Ryder trainee, a 4-year-old son of He's Watching, has just 38 career starts but an impressive lifetime earnings of $829,367 and dazzling mark of 1:47 1/5 set at the Meadowlands on August 7.
Nicholas Beach (5-1, Vincent Ginsburg) drew the dreaded outside post eight, which is also where he started in the Ewart Memorial on September 11 at Scioto Downs. In that race, he was a strong second-place finisher for trainer Jenn Bongiorno and owners John Lengacher and Michael Cote. The 5-year-old Somebeachsomewhere gelding has been first or second in all 11 starts this year. The field also includes top aged pacers Bronx Seelster (5-1, Montrell Teague), Southwind Ozzi (5-1, Marcus Miller), None Bettor A (12-1, Mark Macdonald), Sectionline Bigry (20-1, Victor Kirby) and Shoobee Doo A (20-1, Corey Callahan).
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On the undercard, four $20,000 DSBF divisions for 2-year-old male pacers will be contested in an all-stakes pick four (races two through five). A total of 26 horses filled the divisions, which are comprised of lightly-raced horses as only two have previous wins. George Teague Jr.'s Cntnobdytelmenothn (2-1, Montrell Teague) has a 1:54 3/5 win on his resume at Harrah's Philadelphia. The Southwind Lynx-Cahill's Fancy gelding is trained by Clyde Francis and drew post seven in the second division, which is the third race. Kdk Standardbreds' Heinikin Bythebay (7-5, Jason Thompson) has visited the winner's circle twice already in his young career, with a pair of wins at Harrington and mark of 1:55 4/5. The Southwind Lynx-Sally Pansen gelding is trained by Kevin Switzer and is the early favorite in the third division, slated as the fourth race on the program.
DSBF action will continue Tuesday with three divisions of pacing fillies and on Wednesday with four divisions of trotters.
--press release (Harrington)--