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Sweeps galore in DSBF finals on Governor's Day

07/28/2011 1:14 PM -
Four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) final events for 3-year-olds headlined the annual Governor’s Day card during the Delaware State Fair at Harrington Raceway Thursday.
 All four DSBF winners were capturing at least their 2nd $100,000 DSBF final event. Badlands Jenna ($2.10, Ben Stafford Jr.) was the first DSBF winner in the event for pacing fillies. The Badlands Hanover-sired filly improved to 17 for 22 in her career for trainer Ben Stafford who co-owns the filly along with Winbak Farm. ‘Jenna’ was a wire-to-wire winner over Stash the Cash and entry-mate Devil May Care in 1:55.3. She completed a rare sweep of DSBF events at ages 2 and 3.
 Heavy favorite Overnight Command ($2.10, Jim Morand) overcame an early miscue to score a three length win in the final for filly trotters. Co-owned by Morand and Nanticoke Racing, the CR Commando filly made an early break behind the gate before the start, but rebounded nicely and brushed to the front at the half-mile mark.  She never looked back from that point in her 2:01.1 win over Tokyo Oklahoma and Political Starlet. Trainer Les Givens continued his dominance of the DSBF trotting events as she increased her lifetime earnings to more than $225,000 by getting her 10th win in 13 career starts.
 Meanwhile Lawrence and Barbara Mayer’s Mob Boss ($3.60, Bret Brittingham) earned a decisive three length score for trainer A. Papadopoulos. Brittingham brushed to the front approaching the half mile and drew away from Obey the Command and All Shoes on Deck in the stretch. The Don Boss Vita-sired 3-year-old picked up his sixth win in nine lifetime starts.
 The last DSBF final event was for pacing colts as Badlands Racing, George Teague Jr. and G P Patel’s Three Martini’s ($2.10, Montrell Teague) continued his dominance of the Delaware-bred colts with a two length win over Dyslexic and 99-to-1 shot Bradley’s Last Ride. Trained by George Teague, the Three Olives colt has won 10 of 23 career starts.
 Another staple on the Governor’s Day program is a set of races for older horses, including the $40,000 Governor’s Cup for pacers. The Teague stable earned a double when K&R Racing and George Teague’s Southwind Lynx ($2.40, Montrell Teague) was a five-length winner over Village Blast and Portrait. It was the second straight Governor’s Cup for trainer Teague, who won last year’s event with Mr. Wiggles. The Honorable Governor Jack Markell was on hand to present the trophy to the winning connections.
 “It’s great to be here for another great race,” said Markell, who was experiencing his third Governor’s Cup. “I remember the Teague’s from last year’s event.”
 In the subfeatured events for older horses, Nanticoke Racing and Morand capped off a double with Tough Challenger ($2.20, Morand) with a 1:56.4 win over Gurf and Good Feeling in the $30,000 Charles Murphy Memorial Trot for trainer Givens.
 Givens’ older brother Wayne, took the $30,000 Legislator’s Cup for aged mares with his VC Atom N ($8.20, Vince Copeland) who outfought Monochromatic late for a narrow win. Co-owned by Niel Gargiulo and Bruce Baker, VC Atom is also trained by Wayne Givens.
 In the $20,000 President’s Cup (aged pacers), owner/trainer Daryl Bier’s Roy Orbisong ($6.40, Victor Kirby) gave his driver the first of two wins on the program, with a 1:55 victory over Camco Kyle and Proper Respect.
 Drivers Kirby, Morand and Montrell Teague each had doubles as did trainers George Teague and Les Givens.