Harrington’s biggest day is tomorrow

HARRINGTON, DE – Harrington Raceway’s richest harness racing program of the season is set for Thursday (July 28) on Governor’s Day at the Delaware State Fair with a 12-race card starting at 7 p.m.

More than $600,000 in total purses are at stake with four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) events for 3-year-olds being the centerpiece for the program, in addition to popular annual events like the $50,000 Governor’s Cup, which showcases the top older (4 years old and up) horses locally.

Most of the races also honor the memory of former legislators, dignitaries and racing participants.

On the wagering front, two healthy carryovers will spice up the betting menu as a $6,821 carryover is in the pick four (races 9-12) and a $1,301 carryover is in the pick 5 (races 2-6).

The first of the DSBF final events is for filly pacers and will start the program as the first half of the daily double. Gty Stable’s Gaitway Gal (Delmarvalous, 7/2, Pat Berry), Odds On Racing’s Odds On Surfer Gal (Badlands Hanover, 5/2, Corey Callahan) and Let It Ride Stables’ Shabby Chic (Badlands Hanover, 7/2, Tim Tetrick) are familiar rivals who have all shared success in the DSBF program. Gaitway Gal, is trained by Jeff Smith, and Odds On Surfer Gal conditioned by Tony Alagna, each swept their eliiminations. Shabby Chic was a 2-year-old DSBF champion and is trained by Mike Hall.

The 4th leg of the pick 5 will be the filly trotting final in race 5 with prohibitive favorite Pam Wagner’s She’s All Woman (Anders Bluestone, 8/5, Victor Kirby) aiming to win her 5th straight race. The filly dominated her eliminations for trainer John Wagner.

The male pacing final is slated 8th on the card, with two division heavyweights set to square off in Kdk Standardbreds’ Heinikin Bythebay (Southwind Lynx, 9/5, Tetrick) and John Dixon’s Johnny Badlands (Badlands Hanover, 2/1, Callahan). Heinikin Bythebay went off 1-to-9 in both eliminations and won easily for trainer Kevin Switzer. The gelding has won 11 of 15 starts in his career. Meanwhile, upstart Johnny Badlands, a colt, set a track record in the first of his two elimination wins for owner/trainer Dixon.

The male trotting final will initiate the pick four in race 9, where the favorites drew the inside posts. Art Stafford Jr. and Wyatt Starkey’s Navy Blue (9/5, Stafford Jr.) is an Anders Bluestone gelding who easily won his eliminations for co-owner/trainer/driver Stafford Jr. Another son of Anders Bluestone, Lg’s Reed O Wen is a 2-year-old track record holder for Nanticoke Racing and trainer Les Givens, who also swept his eliminations.

Also on the undercard are the President’s Cup (pacing horses), Legislator’s Cup (pacing mares), Charles Murphy Jr. Memorial (trotters), and a trio of DSBF consolation events.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Matt Sparacino, for Harrington Raceway