Dover Downs hosts four more Matron Stakes
A mild winter storm that brushed the Mid-Atlantic region five weeks early may have left the track sloppy at Dover Downs on Thursday evening, but it could hardly dampen the enthusiasm surrounding the solid card that evening which included four lucrative Matron Stakes events for three-year-olds and several competitive overnight events.
On the early portion of the card, Six Pack (Ake Svandstedt) easily lived up to his role as the 1-2 favorite in the $210,000 Matron for three-year-old colt trotters when he gained command before the opener in 28.1, got a breather by the half in 57.3, met token pressure from Met's Hall (Andy Miller) down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:26 then drew clear from that one and the pocket-sitting Fashionwoodchopper (Yannick Gingras) to score in 1:54.1.
Hero of the $500,000 Yonkers Trot earlier this summer, Six Pack recorded his 11th win from 14 starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to $1.075 million. Three months after he was victimized by arguably the worst drive in the long, fabled history of the Grade I, $1 million Hambletonian elims, Six Pack is among the serious contenders for champion three-year-old colt or gelding trotters.
Two races later in the $184,000 Matron for three-year-old filly trotters, Custom Cantab (David Miller) raced parked to get command well past the opener in 26.4, led the way by the half in 55.2, met token pressure from 4-5 choice Plunge Blue Chip (Svandstedt) by three-quarters in 1:24.2 then just held safe the late inside bid of Supergirl Riley (Tony Morgan) for a head score in 1:53.1. Custom Cantab notched her 13th win in 17 starts this year for trainer Chris Beaver and pushed her seasonal earnings past $520,000.
Then two races later in the $25,000 Open for pacers, Q's Cruise (Tim Tetrick) left to secure good early position, yielded to 8-5 choice Options Are Adream (Ross Wolfenden) before a 27 second opener, sat a loose pocket by the half in 56.2, remained in the two-hole down the backside and through the far turn, angled to the passing lane and overhauled the favorite late for a length score in 1:51.3. The Yankee Cruiser gelding now sports a 3-3-4 slate and nearly $50,000 banked from 13 starts this year for trainer Jim King, Jr.
Then two races later in the $160,000 Matron for three-year-old filly pacers, Youaremycandygirl (Yannick Gingras) easily lived up to her role as the 1-5 favorite when she gained command in a 27.1 opener, carved out honest fractions through the first three calls then prevailed by nearly two lengths in 1:51.3. Trained by Ron Burke, Youaremycandygirl notched her ninth win in 17 starts this year and pushed her seasonal earnings past $550,000 in the process and will be a contender for divisional honors again.
One race later in a $15,000 Winners Over class, Duplicated (Tetrick) lived up to his role as the 4-5 choice when he overcame a first over journey to wear down Mel Mara (Corey Callahan) on the far turn and held safe Slick Tony (Montrell Teague) for a two-length score in 1:50.2. The Jim King trainee recorded his first win in two starts stateside after winning 8 of 17 outings down under. Automatic Dragon (Tetrick) won the other half of this event 40 minutes earlier in 1:53.1 as the odds-on choice for trainer Robert Clark.
Then one race later in the $194,000 Matron for three-year-old colt pacers which included a pair of sophomore colts still in contention for divisional honors, outsiders This Is The Plan (Tetrick) and The Downtown Bus (Corey Callahan) finished in a dead-heat for first in 1:49.1, a nose better than 5-2 second choice Jimmy Freight (Scott Zeron). Lather Up (Teague), the 4-5 favorite and early season star, wilted after a brief first over bid and failed to beat a rival.
This Is The Plan left to secure good early position behind Jimmy Freight before a wicked 25.3 opener, sat a loose pocket to the half and three-quarters, angled to the passing lane and edged past the leader and dead-heated with The Donwtown Bus who rallied down the center of the track to join him in the photo. This Is The Plan notched his fourth win from 18 starts and pushed his seasonal earnings past $135,000, while The Downtown Bus recorded his 11th win from 25 starts and banked over $270,000 along the way. This Saturday evening at the Meadowlands and Yonkers several talented older pacers will continue to prep for the upcoming $250,000 TVG Final at the Meadowlands and then the $100,000 Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Sunday, December 2.
Saturday's $20,000 Preferred at the Meadowlands features McWicked, the top older pacer in the land, who will be the 1-5 favorite in the Preferred and again in the TVG but has opted to bypass the Potomac, while it does include Western Fame, Dealt A Winner and Filibuster Hanover who are prepping for both. That same evening at Yonkers, Mach It So will seek his third straight tally in the $44,000 Open Handicap and appears headed back to Rosecroft for his third appearance in the Potomac. Several other pacers in the Open and the Preferred might also eventually earn an invite to the Potomac.
On the early portion of the card, Six Pack (Ake Svandstedt) easily lived up to his role as the 1-2 favorite in the $210,000 Matron for three-year-old colt trotters when he gained command before the opener in 28.1, got a breather by the half in 57.3, met token pressure from Met's Hall (Andy Miller) down the backside and by three-quarters in 1:26 then drew clear from that one and the pocket-sitting Fashionwoodchopper (Yannick Gingras) to score in 1:54.1.
Hero of the $500,000 Yonkers Trot earlier this summer, Six Pack recorded his 11th win from 14 starts this year and pushed his seasonal earnings to $1.075 million. Three months after he was victimized by arguably the worst drive in the long, fabled history of the Grade I, $1 million Hambletonian elims, Six Pack is among the serious contenders for champion three-year-old colt or gelding trotters.
Two races later in the $184,000 Matron for three-year-old filly trotters, Custom Cantab (David Miller) raced parked to get command well past the opener in 26.4, led the way by the half in 55.2, met token pressure from 4-5 choice Plunge Blue Chip (Svandstedt) by three-quarters in 1:24.2 then just held safe the late inside bid of Supergirl Riley (Tony Morgan) for a head score in 1:53.1. Custom Cantab notched her 13th win in 17 starts this year for trainer Chris Beaver and pushed her seasonal earnings past $520,000.
Then two races later in the $25,000 Open for pacers, Q's Cruise (Tim Tetrick) left to secure good early position, yielded to 8-5 choice Options Are Adream (Ross Wolfenden) before a 27 second opener, sat a loose pocket by the half in 56.2, remained in the two-hole down the backside and through the far turn, angled to the passing lane and overhauled the favorite late for a length score in 1:51.3. The Yankee Cruiser gelding now sports a 3-3-4 slate and nearly $50,000 banked from 13 starts this year for trainer Jim King, Jr.
Then two races later in the $160,000 Matron for three-year-old filly pacers, Youaremycandygirl (Yannick Gingras) easily lived up to her role as the 1-5 favorite when she gained command in a 27.1 opener, carved out honest fractions through the first three calls then prevailed by nearly two lengths in 1:51.3. Trained by Ron Burke, Youaremycandygirl notched her ninth win in 17 starts this year and pushed her seasonal earnings past $550,000 in the process and will be a contender for divisional honors again.
One race later in a $15,000 Winners Over class, Duplicated (Tetrick) lived up to his role as the 4-5 choice when he overcame a first over journey to wear down Mel Mara (Corey Callahan) on the far turn and held safe Slick Tony (Montrell Teague) for a two-length score in 1:50.2. The Jim King trainee recorded his first win in two starts stateside after winning 8 of 17 outings down under. Automatic Dragon (Tetrick) won the other half of this event 40 minutes earlier in 1:53.1 as the odds-on choice for trainer Robert Clark.
Then one race later in the $194,000 Matron for three-year-old colt pacers which included a pair of sophomore colts still in contention for divisional honors, outsiders This Is The Plan (Tetrick) and The Downtown Bus (Corey Callahan) finished in a dead-heat for first in 1:49.1, a nose better than 5-2 second choice Jimmy Freight (Scott Zeron). Lather Up (Teague), the 4-5 favorite and early season star, wilted after a brief first over bid and failed to beat a rival.
This Is The Plan left to secure good early position behind Jimmy Freight before a wicked 25.3 opener, sat a loose pocket to the half and three-quarters, angled to the passing lane and edged past the leader and dead-heated with The Donwtown Bus who rallied down the center of the track to join him in the photo. This Is The Plan notched his fourth win from 18 starts and pushed his seasonal earnings past $135,000, while The Downtown Bus recorded his 11th win from 25 starts and banked over $270,000 along the way. This Saturday evening at the Meadowlands and Yonkers several talented older pacers will continue to prep for the upcoming $250,000 TVG Final at the Meadowlands and then the $100,000 Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Sunday, December 2.
Saturday's $20,000 Preferred at the Meadowlands features McWicked, the top older pacer in the land, who will be the 1-5 favorite in the Preferred and again in the TVG but has opted to bypass the Potomac, while it does include Western Fame, Dealt A Winner and Filibuster Hanover who are prepping for both. That same evening at Yonkers, Mach It So will seek his third straight tally in the $44,000 Open Handicap and appears headed back to Rosecroft for his third appearance in the Potomac. Several other pacers in the Open and the Preferred might also eventually earn an invite to the Potomac.
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