Franchesca, Angel In Flight, score DSBF upsets

Franchesca, with Russell Foster driving, forged to a lifetime-best 1:56.1 victory in her first-round DSBF preliminary event on Monday at Bally's Dover.

DOVER - Dismissed at double-digit odds, Franchesca and Angel In Flight both emerged from off the pace to capture their respective $20,000 first-round Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund preliminary events for 2-year-old trotting fillies on Monday, Nov. 9, at Bally's Dover.

In the second division, 26-1 outsider Franchesca and driver Russell Foster floated forward from post 6 for a three-hole tuck behind 8-5 second choice Daringly (driven by Corey Callahan) and 1-5 favorite Vamoose (Eddie Dennis), who finished one-two in the $110,000 DSBF Harrington series final on Oct. 14. After drafting behind splits of :28.1, :57.1 and 1:26.3, Franchesca mounted her victorious rally off the turn for home, swinging three-wide around pocket foe Vamoose and surging in the final sixteenth to prevail by a widening half length in 1:56.1, a full 5 seconds faster than her previous lifetime mark. Vamoose vacated the pocket in upper stretch and saved second over Daringly, who finished a beaten third after controlling the tempo for most of the mile.

William Wyatt trains two-time winner Franchesca, a daughter of Southwind Frank-Stirling Charisma who competes as a homebred for Eric Foster. She paid $55.80 to win.

The first section likewise resulted in a massive upset, as 16-1 shot Angel In Flight and Corey Callahan sat fourth behind Diamond Advantage (Jason Green) through splits of :29.3, :59 and 1:29.1, angled second-over behind even-money favorite Dassie (Troy Beyer) on the final turn, and then fanned thee-wide in upper stretch before rallying to collar Dassie by a head in 1:59.4. She Is Unstoppable (Allan Davis), who finished a one-paced fourth from the pocket, was elevated to third over Diamond Advantage, who broke stride at the finish.

Trainer Tom Lail co-owns Angel In Flight, who paid $34.40 in her maiden-breaking win, with Linda Mowbray. The Top Flight Angel-Silent Blessings filly was bred by Winbak Farm.

Callahan led all drivers with four wins on the 15-race card. Michael Cole and Tony Morgan recorded doubles. Joe Columbo recorded a training double.

Racing returns to Bally's Dover on Tuesday, Nov. 10. The 15-race card features three $20,000 DSBF Dover series first-round events for rookie male trotters, carded as races 1, 2 and 4, as well as a $25,000 Open Trot, carded as race 7. On the wagering front, the 50-cent pentafecta, offered in the final race, boasts a carryover of $3,906.32. First post is 4:30 p.m.