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Mr. Wiggles sets track record, DSBF finals contested, Kirby wins 2,000th on Governor's Day

07/29/2010 2:22 PM -
More than $600,000 in purses were up for grabs Thursday as part of the annual Governor’s Day of racing at Harrington Raceway during the Delaware State Fair.
 Four $100,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) finals were contested for 3-year-olds, as well as four $20,000 consolation events.
 It was also a memorable day for driver Victor Kirby who earned his 2,000th career win in the third race aboard Winbak Patty. The Shotgun Scott filly picked up a hard fought win on the front end in a $20,000 DSBF consolation event for 3-year-old pacing fillies.  Kirby is currently having another solid season at Harrington and ranks sixth in the driver standings.
 Erika Paradee’s Chocolate N Roses ($11.60, Bret Brittingham) was the first DSBF final winner in the 3-year-old filly trot as the CR Commando filly closed ground late and outkicked a stubborn Miss Snazz to the wire in a tight photo finish. Paradee also trains Chocolate N Roses who earned her second win of the season. Status Symbol finished third.
 Rod Allen’s Airborne Commando ($6.80, Allen) was a wire-to-wire winner in the trotting colt final, pouring it on with a six length score over Wygant Knight and Par Done My Putt. Trained by Carlo Poliseno, it was the third win of the season for Commando.
 Joann Looney-King’s Enee Weenie and Me ($17.40, Jim King Jr.) scored a 7-to-1 upset in the final for pacing colts. The Badlands Hanover gelding settled in fifth early before mounting an impressive attack late, picking off several rivals in the stretch a narrow win over McMurray Hanover and Scout Hanover. King Jr. also trained the sophomore, who banked his fifth career win.
 Badlands Racing Llc and George Teague Jr.’s No Bad Luck ($2.40, Montrell Teague) cruised to a five length win in the filly pacing final. She completed a sweep of the DSBF events after capturing the Dover Downs final earlier in the year. Trained by George Teague, No Bad Luck has now won eight of 10 races in 2010. Iosmio closed ground late for second, while Sucha Bad Girl held third.
 In the featured race for aged pacers, the $40,000 Governor’s Cup, Elmer Fannin and George Teague’s Mr Wiggles ($2.60, Corey Callahan) set a new track record for 4-year-old horses with an impressive 1:51.2 triumph over Sniper Hall and Solano. The Badlands Hanover-stallion assumed command at the quarter-mile from Proper Respect and never looked back in his two length win.
 “He’s such a nice horse,” said Callahan. “We had some bad luck in a few races this year, but he’s been very good to me and is a pleasure to drive.”
 Delaware Governor Jack Markell was on hand to present the trophy to the winning connections.
 “It’s great to be a part of this,” said Markell, who was experiencing his second Governor’s Day. “It was another great race and I’m glad to be here and participate.”
 In other events for aged horses on the program, Rodney L. Wyatt and Rodney K. Wyatt’s Ireneonthemove ($8.20) earned her second $30,000 Legislator’s Cup trophy in 1:53. Meanwhile, 10-year-old JM Vangogh ($3.40, Tony Morgan) inched closer to $2 million in career earnings with a front stepping 1:56.4 victory for owners Paul and Wilma Chambers in the $30,000 Charles Murphy Memorial. In the $20,000 President’s Cup, Gary and Barbara Iles homebred pacer Zee Barber ($4, Montrell Teague) scored a wire-to-wire win in 1:53.