Finals contested – $550,000 in purses paid out

HARRINGTON, Del. – More than $550,000 in total purses were up for grabs as part of a showcase of Delaware's top bred harness racing horses Wednesday at Harrington Raceway.

Four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) final events were the centerpiece of the 13-race program, as well as their accompanying $20,000 consolations.

There was also $20,000 Open events for older horses, with preference given to those who were Delaware owned or bred.

KDK Standardbreds' Apple Bottom Jeans ($6.80, Montrell Teague) was the first $100,000 DSBF final winner with an impressive 1:56 front end win for trainer Kevin Switzer. The Mr. Apples-sired filly led throughout over Seboomook Up-town and Eternal Ring, who rounded out the trifecta. It was her second win in three career starts.

Carter Racing Stable's Rusty Carter ($3.80, Corey Callahan) prevailed in the final for colt and gelding pacers with a 1:54.1 triumph after a first-over charge cleared pacesetter All Artist near the three-quarters. All Artist finished second with Steller City third. Trained by Doug Lewis, Rusty Carter, an Art Director gelding, notched his second career win.

The first trotting final went postward in the eighth race as Chris Yochim's Mondello ($28.60, Art Stafford Jr.) was a winner via disqualification of favorite Chipoffthewall, who was taken down for interference against Elton J early in a miscue-marred mile. The time of 1:59.2 was disallowed. Overnight Shipper was placed second with Mr. Paul third. Mondello, sired by Taladega, achieved his first career win.

In the $100,000 filly trotting final J Craparotta and Patrick Berry Racing's Epic Smash ($57.20, Berry) was an upset winner in 2:02.3. Berry and Epic Smash capitalized on early miscues from favorites Cicada's Song and Triple Bottom Line and never looked back in a wire-to-wire win over Unshakeable Peace and Princess Politics.

Janet Hudson's Just a Jolt ($4.40, Victor Kirby) captured the $20,000 Open pace for horses and geldings in 1:52 for trainer Jim King Jr.

Another King Jr.-trained and Kirby-driven horse visited the winner's circle in the $20,000 Fillies and Mares Open, as sophomore filly sensation Purrfect Bags ($2.80, Kirby) recorded her 10th win of the year with 1:53.1 triumph versus older rivals. She increased her seasonal earnings to more than $237,000.

Callahan notched another winner in the $20,000 Open Trot with Gary Evans and Foulk Stables' Prayer Session ($3) who was a dominant winner in 1:54.4.

Driver George Dennis notched his 5,000th career win in the second race aboard trotter Ronan. The 45-year-old Dennis is a former driving champ at Harrington and has been a staple among the leading drivers on the First State's half-mile racetrack for the last 20 years.

Matthew Sparacino