Jason Bartlett won two of four Matron Stakes divisions for three-year-olds at Dover Downs on Saturday, Nov. 13 to headline a banner five-win night for the reinsman on the 15-race program.
Bartlett kicked off the stakes action with Conversano, who handily won the $186,408 filly trot division for her first victory since the Hambletonian Oaks. She began third behind R Lady W (Todd McCarthy), who left fastest before releasing the firing R Dutchess (Tim Tetrick) in a :27 first quarter. As R Dutchess led the group past the half in :55.4, Bartlett angled Conversano off the pylons, and the filly strode to the lead before three-quarters in 1:23.1 and rolled home unopposed to a 1:52.4 victory by 2-3/4 lengths. R Dutchess gamely fought on for second over My Debt Collecter (Tyler Buter).
Conversano, a daughter of Muscle Hill-Celebrity Ruth, is now eight-for-13 this season. The Juan Cano trainee was a New Jersey champion this year and has now earned $854,408 lifetime with 10 tallies in 21 starts for Hot Lead Farm. She paid $7.80 to win.
Dandy Ideal completed the Bartlett stakes double as he seized the early lead and put up all the fractions in a 1:50.1 performance to win the $210,352 pacing colt split. Dandy Ideal and Captain Optimistic (Scott Zeron) locked horns into the first turn until Dandy Ideal pushed forward on the rim to take over prior to reaching the first station in :26.2. He went unopposed to the half in :55.2 and increased speed to three-quarters in 1:22.4 to keep the first-over Madden Oaks (Braxten Boyd) out of the picture. Captain Optimistic emerged from the pocket turning for home and bore down on the pacesetter but was three-quarters of a length short as Dandy Ideal got home for his 10th score in 17 tries this year. Fusion (Dexter Dunn) finished third.
Dandy Ideal’s victory, his 10th in his last 12 appearances, followed a tight place finish in the Breeders Crown. He has collected wins in the New York Sire Stakes Final, Empire Breeders Classic, Hempt Memorial, and Jennas Beach Boy this year. The Hunter Oakes trainee raised his lifetime bankroll to $1,433,075 and his record to 15-for-27. The son of American Ideal-Ok Heavenly is owned by Susan Oakes, Thaddeus Wier, and Alan Johnston. His backers received $3.20.
After the winner's circle trip with Dandy Ideal, Bartlett tripled in succession to end the card, winning with Nevada Vacation ($2.80), Wager On Me ($7.80), and T Dog ($3.60). The reinsman leads all North American drivers in earnings this year and is second in wins with 713 tallies. Bartlett, who has a 30.6 per cent win rate in 2025, went five-for-nine on the evening with a .617 UDRS.
Super Chapter ended an agonizing three-race string of half-length defeats with a blowout victory in the $229,648 Matron split for trotting colts and geldings. The colt initially started third but received a pocket ride after My Degenerate (Andy Miller) broke stride while angling into that spot. Go Dog Go (Todd McCarthy) trotted on the point through the quarter in :27 and half in :56.1 but was overwhelmed by Super Chapter at three-quarters in 1:24.1 as that rival rocketed out of the pocket. Super Chapter soared home in :27.1 for a final margin of six lengths in a 1:51.2 mile. Meshuggah (Zeron) finished second over Cheers Hanover (Tetrick).
Super Chapter’s nine wins in 14 outings this season include the Beal Memorial, Dancer Memorial, Yonkers Trot, and Kentucky Championship Series Final. The Marcus Melander-trained colt has now earned $2,425,751 and won 14 times in 25 starts. Jeff Snyder, Arthur Pronti, and Hanover Shoe Farms Inc. own the son of Chapter Seven-Lifetime Pursuit. The win payout was $3.
Unreasonable overcame a troubled trip and rallied off live cover to a half-length triumph in the $183,592 Matron division for filly pacers. The Erv Miller pupil sat seventh early as Champagne Room (Yannick Gingras) swooped to the front from post eight in a :26.4 first quarter, then yielded to The Last Martini (Doug McNair), who headed the field to the half in :57.3. Marcus Miller tipped Unreasonable third-over in front of the grandstand and was forced to swing her three-wide as multiple rivals on the inner line bore out when The Last Martini backed up on the turn. Unreasonable marched on behind Rodeo Drive Deo (Dave Miller) through three-quarters in 1:25.1 and followed that rival’s three-wide surge on the final turn, then reeled her in down the stretch and got up late to prevail in 1:53.1. Champagne Room was placed up to third after The Last Martini was disqualified for the interference nearing the half.
Unreasonable improved to eight-for-15 this year for owners Erv Miller Stable Inc. and David Miller. The daughter of Huntsville-Roaring To Go tallied victories in the Glen Garnsey Memorial, Empire Breeders Classic, and multiple Kentucky Sire Stakes legs. Her lifetime totals are now 26 starts, 11 wins, and $995,518 in earnings. She returned $6.20 at the windows.
In Delaware Standardbred Breeders' Fund (DSBF) action, first-round winners Watch Em Win and Slugger On Deck delivered decisive victories as the odds-on favourites in their respective $28,169 second-round splits for two-year-old male pacers. South Of The Hood was the other division winner.
Off the strength of a 5-1/2-length romp in the first round, Watch Em Win and driver Tim Tetrick produced leisurely splits of :30, :59.2 and 1:27.4 before unleashing a :26.3 sprint home to defeat pocket-sitter Arette (Allan Davis) by 9-1/4 lengths in 1:54.2 in the second division. Hes Webster (Jared Moyer) finished third. Ron Burke trains Watch Em Win, who paid $2.10 to win, for Burke Racing Stable LLC, Knox Services Inc., Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The Hes Watching-Winners Over colt has now won seven of 11 career races and banked $182,007.
In the third split, Slugger On Deck and Allan Davis floated forward to clear 49-1 shot Iheartmum (Art Stafford Jr.) just beyond a :27.4 first quarter. After pulling the half back to :56.4, Slugger On Deck faced steady first-over pressure from C Millertimeagain (Corey Callahan) through three-quarters in 1:25.4 and used :27.4 stretch speed to keep that rival 1-1/4 lengths at bay for a 1:53.3 win. Iheartmum finished third, another 11 lengths in arrears. Slugger On Deck, a Hes Watching-End To End Hanover colt with six wins and $86,100 in earnings from nine starts, is trained by Jim King Jr. for owner/breeder Jo Ann Looney-King. He paid $2.60 to win.
South Of The Hood and driver Montrell Teague took the first division, a non-wagering event, with a two-length, 1:54.4 score over Stained Glass (Ross Wolfenden) and first-round winner Roman Raider (Barton Dalious). The Southwind Lynx-Nozy Neighbor colt brushed from fourth past the quarter in :27.4 to take the lead before the half in :56.4 and paced strongly through three-quarters in 1:26.2 to his second career win in nine attempts for trainer Clyde Francis and owners David Collins and George Teague Jr. Inc. He has now earned $58,140.
Two-time preliminary winners Watch Em Win and Slugger On Deck lead the octet of rookie male pacers who have qualified for next Thursday's $110,000 USD series championship. Also earning berths were South Of The Hood, Roman Raider, Stained Glass, C Millertimeagain, Arette and Hes Peeping.
Itsrockandroll A headlined the overnight racing as he utilized his quick early speed and benefitted from a pocket trip again to repeat in the $38,732 Blue Hen Open Pace.
Gingras rocketed Wehadababyetzaboy to the front approaching the :26.2 quarter from post eight, pocketing Itsrockandroll A, who got the garden trip for the second straight week. Wehadababyetzaboy continued to control the fractions through the half in :55 but was soon under fire as Muskateer Hanover (Allan Davis) braved the chilly air first-over to attack past the midway point, with Stevens Saloon (Jason Thompson) in the tow and Dale Yeah (Tony Morgan) third over. Wehadababyetzaboy barrelled through three-quarters in 1:22 and turned for home in front, but Tetrick pulled the trigger of Itsrockandroll A in the stretch, and the gelding fired clear to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:50.1. Wehadababyetzaboy held the place spot over Master Rigger (Dalious).
The win came with a lifetime mark for Itsrockandroll A, a 10-year-old son of A Rocknroll Dance-Miss Worthy Whitby. He is now 43-for-151 lifetime and has earned $869,882. Don Brittingham trains the gelding for Elizabeth and Bret Brittingham. The win payout was $4.40.
"He’s the best horse I ever had," Don Brittingham said after the race. "He’s a pleasure to be around.”
Racing continues at Bally’s Dover on Monday with a first-race post time of 4:30 p.m. There will be two second-round preliminary divisions of the DSBF for rookie trotting fillies held as non-betting events prior to the main card.
(Standardbred Canada & Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund & Dover Downs)