After a disastrous result in last month’s Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly Trot at Woodbine Racetrack, Mission Brief bounced back and destroyed the world record for her age, sex and gait in the Matron Stake final at Dover Downs.
Mission Brief parked past the quarter pole in :26.4 in the $187,400 tilt for driver Yannick Gingras before clearing to the lead. She proceeded to slice out vicious splits of :55 and 1:23 before storming home in :27.2 to win by 5-3/4 lengths over arch rival Wild Honey in 1:50.2. Speak To Me was third.
The performance took more than a full second off the former mark of 1:51.3 held jointly by Check Me Out (2012 at Pocono Downs), Designed To Be (2014 at Pocono Downs) and Lifetime Pursuit (2014 at The Meadows).
Ron Burke trains the freakishly-fast daughter of Muscle Hill-Southwind Serena for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Our Horse Cents Stables, J And T Silva Stables LLC and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The 18-time winner improved this year’s record to 9-3-0 from 13 trips to the track while boosting her career bankroll to $1,578,199.
Mosquito Blue Chip held off a late-charging Devil Child to capture the $205,150 Matron Stake final for three-year-old pacing fillies in an eye-catching clocking of 1:49.2 for the tandem of driver Dan Dube and trainer Rene Allard.
Dube landed away fourth with his charge while Bedroomconfessions shot to the lead and posted the :25.4 opening quarter. Dube started up the engine on Mosquito Blue Chip as the field swung in front of the grandstand, and in a matter of strides they cleared to the position of command. Mosquito Blue Chip hustled the field through middle panels of :53.4 and 1:21.3 before using a :27.4 kicker to win by a head over the odds-on favourite, Devil Child. Taking home the show dough was Bedroomconfessions.
Sent off as the 4-1 second choice in the wagering, Mosquito Blue Chip now owns a 6-2-2 record this season from 18 trips to the track. The 10-time winner, who races for the partnership of Our Three Sons Stable LLC, Donato Falcicchio and Paul Jessop, has racked up purse earnings of $616,170 to date.
Crazy Wow was the leader at every post in the $243,550 Matron Stake final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings, and he showed no mercy to his foes in the closing strides. Tim Tetrick had the heavily-favoured Ron Burke pupil parked at the quarter pole in :26.4 before finding the pylons and dishing out middle panels of :55.2 and 1:24. A :28-second closing quarter propelled the colt to a seven-length triumph over Crescent Fashion in 1:52. French Laundry was a well-beaten third in the rich tilt.
Sent off as the 1-9 favourite, the son of Crazed-No Pain No Gain struck a pose for the track photographer for the ninth time this season and for the 14th time in his career. Our Horse Cents Stables, Jt45 LLC, J And T Silva Stables LLC and Deo Volente Farms LLC share ownership on the career winner of $1,300,840.
Wiggle It Jiggleit had the betting public lined-up to hop on his bandwagon in the $201,900 Matron Stake final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings, and he didn’t disappoint an army of backers.
Montrell Teague tucked the gifted gelding into the pocket while Wakizashi Hanover blasted to the lead and took the field through first-half fractions of :26 and :55. Teague teed off with his charge in the backstretch, and the duo had no problem working their way to the lead. They zipped by the three-quarter pole in 1:22 before uncorking a :27.4 closing fraction to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Dealt A Winner in 1:49.4. Artistic Major nailed down the show dough.
Clyde Francis trains the son of Mr Wiggles-Mozzi Hanover for George Teague Jr Inc of Harrington, DE. The pacer improved his 2015 record to 20-3-0 from 23 starts. The 21-time winner upped his overall cash stash to $2,068,496 with the triumph.
Three Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund second leg colt and gelding prelims took place during the program and Johns Dream, Hail To The Master and All Music made trips to the winner’s circle.
Owned, trainer and driven by Chuck Perry, Johns Dream posted the fastest win, a near wire-to-wire-1:52.4 triumph in one of the $20,000 DSBF paces. Cut The Beach (driven by George Dennis) finished second for the second straight week. Double Mikes (David Miller) was third for the third straight time.
Dorothy and Chris Conner’s Hail To The Master scored his second consecutive wire-to-wire victory in his $20,000 event. All Art (Jeff Fout) finished second for the third straight start. Canthelpbutwin (Vic Kirby) was third this week.
Montrell Teague led off the program with a 1:54.2 win with All Music. The duo caught the leader, Seboomook Dreamer (Allan Davis) at the finish line to win by a nose. The race favourite, Rusty Carter (Corey Callahan), led early and was in the photo finish, but had to settle for third place.
The eight top point getters, now in their second week of two prelims, return in a week for four $100,000 DSBF Finals.
(With files from Dover Downs)