Hambletonian runner-up Crazed returned from a nearly one-month absence to win his elimination race for Sunday's $259,275 Matron Stakes for three-year-old male trotters at Dover Downs.

Crazed, who last raced in the Kentucky Futurity on October 4 at the Red Mile, finishing sixth and second in his heats, won by a half-length over Holiday Credit in 1:55.4.

For the year, Crazed has won seven of 12 races and earned $903,156 for trainer Frank Antonacci Jr. and owners Lindy Racing, Gary and Ellen Hoffman and Bob Rudolph. His victories include the $500,000 Colonial at Harrah's Chester in August, plus an elimination of the Canadian Trotting Classic in which he handed Deweycheatumnhowe his first career loss.

"It was really awesome," Antonacci said about Crazed's elim for the Matron. "He was sitting outside the entire mile. He had cover, but he still had to pop three wide. Napoleon (who finished third) is a really good horse and skipped away from the field by three or four lengths and he ran him down pretty quick. I was very happy. I feel very good."

Antonacci was happy to give Crazed a break at the family's Connecticut farm after racing in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ontario, and Kentucky during an eight-week span.

"These horses have to ship around the country for a long time. It's nice to get him back to the farm for a while and let him get back into his old routine," Antonacci said. "He really loves the farm up there. He goes through the woods and the trails and enjoys it. He got some R&R and now we're tuning him back up. The ultimate goal is the Breeders Crown (in late November)."

In Focus won the other Matron elim, beating Spam Spade by 5-3/4 lengths in 1:54.2. The time was two-fifths of a second off Sir Perseverance's stakes final record. For the season, In Focus has won 10 of 15 races, including the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes championship, and earned $334,855 for trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Christina Takter, John Fielding and Jim Fielding.

"Crazed raced great and you've got to give him credit and a lot of respect. But my horse was very good. You've got to be optimistic," said Takter, who also trains Holiday Credit, who earlier this year won the Dexter Cup. "Holiday Credit could be a little sleeper also in that race. I know he's been coming up in form now. I think he's going to step up in the final. He got a little sore in mid-summer, but he's been racing good the last couple starts. He's back to himself. He had a good year. They look good, both of them."

The Matron field also includes Kentucky Futurity runner-up Celebrity Secret, who was beaten by Deweycheatumnhowe in a race-off, and Yonkers Trot winner Napoleon. Celebrity Secret was second to Crazed in the Colonial.

Here is the field in post-position order for Sunday's Matron Stakes for three-year-old male trotters (with drivers/trainers):

1. Shutter Boy (G. Dennis/G. Dennis)
2. In Focus (D. Palone/J. Takter)
3. Holiday Credit (R. Pierce/J. Takter)
4. Napoleon (S. Bouchard/N. Daley)
5. Crazed (T. Tetrick/F. Antonacci Jr.)
6. Spam Spade (A. Miller/J. Miller)
7. Celebrity Secret (J. Campbell/S. Lind)
8. Kajan Kooker (M. Lachance/R. Gurfein)

Artimittateslife and Tug River Princess, the two top-earning three-year-old pacing fillies this season, are among the eight finalists in Sunday's $253,075 Matron Stakes at Dover Downs.

Artimittateslife has won 11 of 18 races and $648,687 this year. She had a five-race win streak snapped by a second-place finish in the Lady Maud on October 25 at Yonkers Raceway. She finished fourth to Native Bride in 1:52.3 in her Matron elimination on November 2. Native Bride, who now has a five-race unbeaten streak, won a Glen Garnsey division in October and was the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion in September.

Tug River Princess has won 11 of 16 races and earned $642,182. Her most recent triumphs came in a Glen Garnsey division, the Nadia Lobell, and Valley Forge. She was second in her Matron elim, beaten by a neck by Stylish Artist in 1:52.1. Stylish Artist won the Mistletoe Shalee in August.

Here is the field in post-position order for Sunday's Matron Stakes for three-year-old filly pacers (with drivers/trainers):

1. Artimittateslife (S. Bouchard/E. Hart)
2. Hannah Isabel (Y. Gingras/J. Drolet)
3. Native Bride (B. Sears/N. Daley)
4. Tug River Princess (J. Campbell/R. Croghan)
5. Cartniverous (E. Goodell/J. Green)
6. Stylish Artist (D. Miller/J. Smith)
7. Pasta Lavista (T. Tetrick/E. Reese)
8. Cheyenne Trish (J. Meittinis/R. Siegelman)

Hambletonian Oaks winner Creamy Mimi and runner-up Lantern Kronos headline the $252,738 Matron Stakes for three-year-old filly trotters at Dover Downs.

Creamy Mimi won her Matron elimination by 1-3/4 lengths over No Pain No Gain in 1:56.4. For the year, she has won seven of 15 races and earned $704,385. Her triumphs also include the Hudson Filly Trot at Yonkers Raceway in June.

Lantern Kronos was third in her Matron elim, which was won by Stage Show in 1:56. Stage Show's time was one-fifth of a second off Mystical Sunshine's stakes final record. Lantern Kronos has won 12 of 16 races this season and earned $902,218. Stage Show was third in the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks.

Here is the field in post-position order for Sunday's Matron Stakes for three-year-old filly trotters (with drivers/trainers)

1. No Pain No Gain (D. Dube/J. Czernyson)
2. Muscle Shirt (J. Gregory/C. Sylvester)
3. Epangeline (R. Schnittker/R. Schnittker)
4. Stage Show (D. Palone/Ji. Campbell)
5. Creamy Mimi (T. Smedshammer/T. Smedshammer)
6. Poster Pin Up (B. Sears/T. Smedshammer)
7. Morguns Sweetheart (G. Brennan/B. Sholty)
8. Lantern Kronos (J. Takter/J. Takter)

(HRC)