Sophomore stars did battle in a quartet of Matron Stake Finals during Thursday’s card at Dover Downs, and a Canadian-based trotter got the party started.
Dream Together rallied from out of the clouds for driver Dan Dube and trainer Luc Blais to win the $186,600 event for three-year-old trotting fillies.
Dube got away sixth, before being backed up to seventh at the mid-way point of the rich contest. Evelyn sliced out fractions of :26.3, :55.1 and 1:24.3, but she came under attack late from Dream Together who exploded onto the scene after tracking cover in the final half of the affair. Dream Together’s :28.1 closing speed earned her the nose decision over Evelyn in 1:53.2. Race favourite Ice Attraction came up a neck short and settle for third prize.
Determination of Montreal, QC owns the daughter of Muscle Hill-Danae. The victory was her fourth of the season and the eighth of her career. The lion’s share of the Matron purse boosted her overall bankroll to $512,300.
It was a great finish, as well, in the Matron final for the trotting colts and geldings as Bills Man prevailed by a head over race favourite Devious Man.
Tim Tetrick mapped out a perfect trip from second over with the John Butenschoen trainee, who kicked off cover late and fired home :27.4 to score the win over Devious Man and Top Flight Angel. What The Hill battled through fractions of :27.3, :55.3 and 1:24.1 before fading to finish fourth.
William Wiswell and M And L Of Delaware own the son of Credit Winner-Silver Springs who improved this year’s record to 5-5-5 from 22 starts with the win. The seven-time winner has stashed away more than $537,000 to date.
Agent Q knocked off race favourite Idyllic Beach in the $182,700 Matron event for three-year-old pacing fillies, and she did so in dominant fashion.
Caviart Ally shot to the lead from Post 8 and carved out first-half fractions of :26.4 and :55.2. Agent Q, who got away third, came first-over in the third quarter of the contest and her :27.4 closing speed was enough to earn her the win by 1-3/4 lengths over Idyllic Beach in 1:51. Tequila Money took home the show dough.
Aaron Lambert trains the daughter of Western Terror-Teenage Paige for Martin Scharf, Rochetti Cassar Racing and Robert Muscara. She’s now 10-for-17 this season and 13-for-27 to date. She’s now banked close to $1.2 million in her career.
Downbytheseaside got up in the closing strides to win the $210,000 Matron final for three-year-old pacing colts and geldings for the tandem of driver Chris Page and trainer Brian Brown.
Sent off as the 6-5 second choice in the wagering, Downbytheseaside left out from Post 7 and dropped into the three-hole while race favourite Filibuster Hanover rushed to the top and whacked out splits of :26.3, :55.4 and 1:23.1. Downbytheseaside rallied home in :26.3 and that was enough to earn him the neck decision over Filibuster Hanover in 1:50.1. Eddard Hanover rounded out the Trifecta ticket.
The son of Somebeachsomewhere-Sprig Hanover now boasts a 12-for-19 record this season while improving his overall record to 20-5-5 from 33 lifetime starts. He’s racked up earnings of $2,111,538 for Country Club Acres Inc, Joe Sbrocco, Richard Lombardo and Diamond Creek Racing.