Returning to the scene of her two biggest career wins, When Dovescry destroyed her foes in the Friday night (October 16) feature at The Meadowlands, a high-end conditioned trot.
The four-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill-Cedar Dove, who won the 2019 Hambletonian Oaks and 2020 Steele Memorial at The Big M, was on the go early, securing the top out of the first turn in a field reduced to six starters after a pair of scratches, and hit the quarter on the point in a leisurely :28.
There wasn’t much action as the half went in :56.2. Longshot Arabellas Cadet tried to apply pressure around the far turn but was turned away as they turned for home. A final quarter of just :28 was more than enough for the Brett Pelling trainee to score by 3-1/4 lengths over Mississippi Storm in 1:52.1. Felicityshagwell S, the 7-5 second choice, finished third.
“We wanted to get a race in her,” said Pelling, “since she is going to the [October 31] Breeders Crown Mares Trot [at Hoosier Park]. She was perfectly straight tonight.”
Pelling sees a fabulous future for his mare. “Her whole game is getting through being four years old. When she comes back next year, she’ll go 20 times (she’s started only six times in 2020). At four, you race aged horses, and I think at that age, they are not mature. You are going against horses that are fully developed. It takes a special horse to take on horses that are fully developed when you are just four.”
When Dovescry, who was driven by David Miller, paid $3.80 to win as the 4-5 public choice. She is owned by Yves Sarrazin, Dumain Haven Farm, Singh & Soulsby and John E Lengacher and now has 12 wins from 26 career starts and earnings of more than $1.1 million.
ONE FOR THE THUMB: Captain Corey remained unbeaten in five lifetime starts by taking the $61,500 W.N. Reynolds Memorial Judge Moore division for two-year-old colts and geldings on the trot as the 1-9 favourite.
The Ake Svanstedt-trained and driven colt, a product of Googoo Gaagaa-Luv U All, never had an anxious moment, drubbing three overmatched foes by leading at every call before hitting the wire 3-3/4 lengths in front of second-place finisher Roysons Punch in 1:54.1. Lindysmusclemania was third.
Captain Corey, the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion, now has earnings of $295,313 and is being pointed to the October 30 Breeders Crown at Hoosier Park.
In a non-betting event before the regular card, Insta Glam (Father Patrick-Hollywood Hill) won the Reynolds Meda division for juvenile trotting fillies. The Nancy Takter-trained, Dexter Dunn-driven miss raised her lifetime record to five wins from 10 starts, good for earnings of $240,170.
A LITTLE MORE: Favourite players wore out a path to the windows on the night, as nine straight post-time choices scored starting in the second race. A total of 10 chalks scored on the 13-race card. … Dunn was red hot on the night, guiding five winners. … All-source handle totaled $1,853,232. … Racing resumes Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)