Badlands Jaden fastest in DSBF splits

December 03, 2007

Despite a steady light rain and a track labeled as "sloppy," fast competitive racing highlighted four $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund finals for 2 year olds on Sunday at Dover Downs, with Westgate Mike and Juanita, winning the trot finals. Dover Dolly withstood a judges' inquiry and Badlands Jaden were the winners of the lucrative pacing finals.

Ross Wolfenden rolled Westgate Mike right to the front and held the lead throughout a 2:01 clocking to win the DSBF Colt final. Owned by Vicki Givens and Pamela Curran, the CR Commando gelding won for the third time in six career races to lifting his seasonal earnings to $85,800. Indian Hill Mojoe closed strongly for trainer-driver Ron Hill to finish second in front of fast finishing Dogface and Jim King.

For a rare time Juanita raced from off the pace in the second $110,000 event. Breeder, driver and co-owner Jim Morand left from post seven and sat second as Jim King driving First Season cut out the fractions. Morand took the CR Commando filly to the outside on the final turn and edged past the leader to the wire in a 2:00.1 mile. First Season was second with Commando Queen, with Vic Kirby, third. For Juanita, it was her sixth win in a row and eighths in nine career races. She now has banked $173,200 for Morand and co-owner Nanticoke Racing.

Dover Dolly won the $110,000 DSBF Filly Pace recording her fourth win in a row following a judges' inquiry that determined no violation occurred on the backstretch when Sheisaknockout (Morand) broke stride in tight traffic.

Owned by James McAuliffe, who also owns the top trotting colt Lear Jetta, third in the record Breeders Crown, Dover Dolly is also trained by Bob Myers. Eddie Davis Jr. was the winning driver of the Badlands Hanover half sister to Toy Dragon, an outstanding female pacer of recent vintage.

Debs Lady Fortune was an ultra game second for Mike Cole after leading until the final steps after withstanding several challenges during the early stages. The third-place finisher in the photo finish was Bags Of Three with Tony Morgan.

Dover Dolly now has five wins in 10 outings and $83,750 in earnings this season.

The fastest clocking and longest price of the four DSBF winners came when Ron Pierce drove 6-1 Badlands Jaden along the passing lane to catch front-pacing Dina's Gamble and Corey Callahan nearing the finish line in 1:54. The Ben Stafford Jr. entry of Triple Black with Tim Tetrick and Business Plan driven by Stafford finished third and fourth.

Badlands Jaden is trained by Steve LeBlanc for Crystal Ball Stables and Newman Racing Stable.

There were also two DSBA consolation paces. In the filly division Pink Sweater, a brown daughter of Badlands Hanover, came on for Jonathan Roberts to score a 1:57.2 win for Bill Camp and trainer John Sumner. C'est Si Bon was runner-up for Jack Parker Jr. while Eurobound and Pierce were the third-place finishers.

In the colt consolation, Uncle Rubble in only his third lifetime start chalked up a 1:55.1 victory for Tetrick driving for owner-trainer Joe Gulotta. Bad Rusty, with Eddie Davis Jr. in the bike, was second in front of Badlands Bigboy and Tim Curtin. (Dover Downs)

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