$101,140 Buckette 3YO Filly Trot Headlines Delaware's Saturday Opening

By Tom White
9/11/03

Delaware, Ohio--World Trotting Derby filly winner Filly At Bigs and multiple Ohio Sires Stakes winner Medoland Miracle headline Saturday's opening day of racing at the Delaware, Ohio County Fair. A field of eight 3YO trotting fillies will race in the $101,140 Buckette as Delaware begins it's 65th Grand Circuit meeting. First race post time is 12 noon.

The Canadian-owned and Jimmy Takter-trained Filly At Bigs took her record of 1:54 in the second heat of the $125,000 filly division of the World Trotting Derby raced at Du Quoin, Il. The Donerail filly also finished third in the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks. Cat Manzi will drive the $642,877 lifetime winner.

Scioto Downs trainer Mike Medors opted to start his Ohio-bred Medoland Miracle in the Bukette rather than the Ohio Breeders Championship. The Striking Sahbra filly has won three legs of the Ohio Sires Stakes, the Northfield Park Grand Circuit stake and was second in the Bill Connors Memorial at Hazel Park. Medoland Miracle has six firsts and five seconds this season and career earnings of $216,988.

Indian Fever Comes Out Of Retirement 

Eight-year-old pacer Indian Fever, who captured five Ohio Sires Stakes and Ohio Breeders Championships from 1997-99 before retiring to stud duties in 2001, comes out of retirement in Saturdays second race at the Delaware County Fair.

Indian Fever sired 11 foals from his 2001 crop and eight more in 2002. The Nobleland Sam stallion stood at his owner's farm in Ottawa, Ohio in 2001 and at Flat Rock Stud in Indiana in 2002. He is owned and trained by Charles Meyer.

Indian Fever earned $431,350 in three seasons. Dave Hawk, who will be in the sulky Saturday, drove Indian Fever in 44 of the pacer's 50 career starts. Saturday's $23,100 Martha Reigle My Lady Pace may be the most hotly contested race among the 15 events scheduled for opening day. Heading the field are such mares as Tupelo Rose N ($532,895), Cinder Best ($490,679), Cam's Valentine ($357,859) and Fall Miracle ($180,586). The race honors Mrs. Reigle, wife of Hall of Famer Gene Reigle, and is the mother of leading trainers Alan and Bruce Reigle is from Greenville, Ohio.