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Wiggle It Jiggleit Takes Quillen

09/19/2016 6:18 PM -

Wiggle It Jiggleit ($2.20, Montrell Teague) won the 10th Annual $150,000 Bobby Quillen Memorial Monday at Harrington Raceway in 1:50 over a sloppy racetrack.

Owned by George Teague Jr and Teague Racing Partnership, the 4-year-old Mr. Wiggles gelding notched his 36th career win in front of a large contingent of racing fans, many of whom came to see the 2015 Horse of the Year in action.

Wiggle It Jiggleit, who is trained by Clyde Francis, left alertly from post position one and protected position with strong early fractions of 26 and 54 with Luckbewithyou in the pocket through three-quarters in 1:22.3. Wiggle It Jiggleit drew clear by two lengths in the stretch with an overpowering triumph. Mach It So, 2015 Quillen champ rallied strongly to be second with Luckbewithyou third.

 “I was raised here 40 years ago and just to have the race here is a big thing,” said owner George Teague. “It can’t get much better than that. You go around to Indiana, New York and see the crowds. It’s really nice to see.”

For 25-year-old driver Montrell Teague, the son of George Teague Jr., it was also a rewarding effort.

“It’s great to win at Harrington,” said Montrell Teague. “I look in the stands and see all my family and friends. It’s a great win.”

  Trainer Francis, who just returned from a multiple week stint in Canada, was happy to be home.

“I was up there for almost three weeks, I was glad to get back down here,” said Francis, who indicated Wiggle It Jiggleit’s next race would likely be at Dayton Raceway (Ohio) at the end of the month.

The win pushed Wiggle It Jiggleit over the $3.6 million lifetime, while also equaling a track record for 4-year-old pacing geldings. It was yet another resume building win for the star pacer who has won major events this year such as the Canadian Pacing Derby, Graduate, Dorothy Mullin Memorial, Battle of Lake Erie, Dan Patch Invitational, just to name a few.

The race is named after the popular late long-time legislator who was an avid harness racing fan and was a regular at the racetrack.

 Three $20,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) stakes were contested for 2-year-old pacing fillies on the undercard.

 Driver Victor Kirby piloted two of the three winners for owner Jo Ann Looney-King and trainer Jim King Jr., winning with Spanish Dream ($6.40, Victor Kirby, 1:57) and Logan's Girl ($4.20, 1:58). Spanish Dream is sired by Dream Away, while Logan's Girl is a daughter of Roddy's Bags Again.

 George Teague Jr.'s I Won Them Both ($2.40, Montrell Teague) captured the third division with a 1:58 triumph for trainer Francis. I Won Them Both is sired by Mr. Apples.

 Four $20,000 divisions for pacing colts and geldings will go post ward on Tuesday with trotters taking center stage on Wednesday.