When Dovescry powered past her foes at The Meadowlands on Friday night (Nov. 12) as the Brett Pelling trainee prepped for next Saturday’s TVG Mares Trot with an easy 1:51.2 score in the featured $36,000 Winners Over $50,000 Lifetime Trot.
Amigo Volo blasted away from the gate from the rail as her driver, Dexter Dunn, hit the gas pedal to the tune of :26.1 to the opening quarter. When Dovescry, the popular 2-5 public choice, sat fourth along the rail as Amigo Volo rated the second panel and hit the half in :55.2.
Chin Chin Hall was now on the move from the back of the pack and as he made his way toward the front, When Dovescry stayed in at the rail, no doubt to the dismay of the chalk players.
But driver Dave Miller had things under control.
“I kind of figured they would go out of there pretty good,” said the Hall of Fame reinsman. “I was pretty content to sit there with her. It worked out pretty great.”
Indeed.
Miller waited as Chin Chin Hall continued to do good things on the rim and picked up that live tow with just under three-eighths of a mile to go. Waiting until they straightened up in the stretch before tipping his five-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill-Cedar Dove, it turned out that Miller’s decisions were all right.
“I knew 'Amigo' wouldn’t be done yet,” said Miller about opting to stay inside down the backside. “I thought I’d take my chances and sit in with her a little longer. When I came off the turn, she put her head down and did her job.”
When Dovescry ($2.80 to win) won it by one length over a resilient Amigo Volo to lift her lifetime stats to 19 wins from just 46 starts and earnings of $1,630,024. JL Cruze was third.
A LITTLE MORE: Miller, Corey Callahan and Todd McCarthy each recorded driving doubles. McCarthy now has nine winners over the last three programs. … The 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 returned $945.10 despite five of the races being won by the post-time choice. The other two races were won by 9-2 and 4-1 shots. … All-source handle totalled $2,346,000. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m. with four Kindergarten Classic Series Finals – for purses totaling $1 million – sitting atop the marquee.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)