Mystical Sunshine Sets World Record In $116,000 Versatility Trot

Delaware, OH--Mystical Sunshine (Daniel Dube) trotted the fastest mile ever
on a half-mile track regardless of age or sex when she won the $116,000 Ms
Versatility Final in 1:53.2 before 51,411 fans at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
 
Coming off her $250,000 Breeders Crown championship, Mystical Sunshine
grabbed the early lead from post position two, then opened up by three lengths to
win going away over Wildfire Julie and Birmingham.  The victory was the Yankee
Glide mare’s seventh of the season and increased her lifetime bankroll to
$1,758,205.

Chris Ryder trains Mystical Sunshine for owners Alvin Jacobson of Crompond,
NY and Sidney Kom of Monmouth Beach, NJ.  Kom said in the winner’s circle, “We
are flying home tonight but I won’t need a plane.”

Unheralded Silent Swing (Phil Hudon) captured the first division of the
$76,400 Winbak Farm Pace in a track record 1:50.3, beating Eagle Luck by  6 1/2  
lengths. 

Silent Swing, a 5-year-old gelding, had raced only one time in the United
States this season in 22 starts.  However, in the Winbak, Silent Swing paced his
final half in 55.1 seconds to win by 6 1/2 lengths over Eagle Luck with Mister
Big sixth and Maltese Artist seventh.

The Canadian-owned Silent Swing started from post three, moved to second at
the half (:55.2) and was on top by 4 1/2 lengths at the three-quarters.  The
victory was Silent Swing’s seventh in 23 starts this season, and hiked his
earnings to $644,482. 

Gold Dust Beach (David Miller) paced the fastest mile of the season on  a
half-mile track when he easily won the second division of the Winbak Farm Pace in
1:49.3. 

“We got to the half pretty easy and she was full of pace through the
stretch.”  Jereme’s Jet finished second with Palone Ranger third. The winner is
trained by Joe Holloway for L&L Devisser of Hollandm MI.

    New Hampshire Boy Wins $122,400 Old Oaken Bucket

New York Sires Stakes heavyweight New Hampshire Boy(Ray Schnittker) led from
gate-to-wire to win the $122,400 Old Oaken Bucket in a season’s record
equalling 1:57.1.  New Hampshire Boy opened up a three length in the stretch to
collar Jimmy Shin and stablemate Bamboo Yankee by three lengths. 

The son of Credit Winner, who was a close second in last week’s $150,000 NY
Sires Stakes Final, hiked his 2007 bankroll to
4352,439. 

                Standardbred Stakes

Up Front Palone (Ron Pierce) avoided breaking colts at the top of the stretch
to win the first division of the $72,808 Standardbred Stake for two-year-old
colt pacers.  The victory, in 1:54.4, was the Dragon Again gelding’s first in
nine career starts.

Dragoon K and Blueridge Western battled head-to-head for three quarters when
Blueridge Western broke stride, forcing several of the trailing colts to slow
down or change direction.  Up Front Palone, trained by Kelly O’Donnell,
returned $48.00, 14.40, 7.20.

Swingbatterbatter (David Miller) ended a long string of losses to win the
second division of the Standardbred 2-Year-Old colt pace in a lifetime best
1:55.2.  The Allamerican Ingot colt also gave driver Dave Miller his seventh win of
the 2007 race meeting and the 152nd of his career at Delaware.

Badlands Jaden finished second and Southern Pee Wee third.

Like A Dream (Ron Pierce) moved three wide in the final turn and outbrushed
St. Regis Hall and Built By Lindy to win the $61,807 Standardbred 2-Year-old
Colt Trot.  The Like A Prayer gelding,  racing for the first time on a half-mile
track, picked up his seventh victory of the year.  “He’s got a lot of getup
and a lot of go,” said Pierce.

Wondrous Grace (John Campbell),starting from the outside post eight, paced
three wide through the stretch, to defeat I’m A Native and Riven Hanover for her
first career triumph in the first division of the $63,908 Standardbred
2-Year-Old Filly Pace.. The victory, in 1:55, gave Campbell his 137th Delaware
driving victory. 

John Campbell swept both divisions of the Standardbred 2-Year-Old Filly Pace
when he guided Up Front Bethann to a national season’s record equalling
1:57.4.  For Campbell it was win No. 138 at Delaware, OH.  The win also gave trainer
Kelly O’Donnell his second victory of the afternoon.  Early leader Edra
Hanover, who started from Post eight, finished second over Intrinsic Value.