Westwardho Hanover, winner of last Sunday’s $330,000 Progress Pace, and Hugadragon were in top form scoring impressive front-pacing sub-1:50 victories in their respective $32,745 Matron Three-Year-Old Colt Pace eliminations at Dover Downs on Sunday
. On the same card, Shaving Mug, Its Outta Here, Windshield and Im So Striking won Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) first leg $20,000 preliminaries for two-year-old colts.
Just as for the Progress Pace, Westward Ho Stables had to pay a supplemental fee to race Westwardho Hanover in the Matron and the Dragon Again-Western Duel colt responded with a powerful 1:49.1 triumph in his elim. Driven by Dave Palone, the Ron Burke trainee repelled an early challenge from Reckless Ric (Ron Pierce), then paced :26.4 on the backstetch to open a big lead and topped off the victory with a :27.4 final panel. It was Westwardho Hanover’s third win in his last five races. His fifth win of the campaign raising his seasonal earnings to $349,122. Samadar (Tim Tetrick) finished second in front of American Romance (Yannick Gingras). Reckless Ric (Ron Pierce) finished fourth to qualify for next Sunday’s final.
The Burke-trained Hugadragon and Yannick Gingras notched a career-best 1:49.3 win in the other Matron elim. The Dragon Again-Hip Huggers gelding, owned by Burke Racing Stable, outdistanced runner-up Rock To Glory (David Miller), for his fourth win with two seconds in his last six races. It was his sixth win this season sending his 2011 earnings to $605,096. Lizard King (Tim Tetrick) was the show horse. Mr Tommy Fra (Andy Miller), fourth, also made the $221,000 final next Sunday.
Shaving Mug, the latest in a long list of top pacers from Gary and Barbara Iles’ broodmare Pocket Comb, won his fourth straight and fifth win in seven freshman starts, winning a 1:54.2 DSBF prelim. Montrell Teague drove the Badlands Hanover gelding, trained by George Teague, lifting his bankroll to $85,250. Chizzled In Stone (Jon Roberts) was second with Flying Instructor (Tim Tetrick), third.
Its Outta Here won the other $20,000 prelim as Ross Wolfenden guided the Three Olives-Galaxy Girl colt home in 1:56.2 for owners Greg Simendinger and trainer Eli Scott Jr. Hot Shot Dresser (Tony Morgan) was the runner-up. Somethinginthewind (Brad Hanners) finished third.
Nanticoke Racing and driver Ross Wolfenden’s Windshield dominated his DSBF trot section winning with easy in 2:01.2. Les Givens conditions the Political Briefing-CR Mimosa colt in his sixth consecutive victory and $85,299 earnings. Bold Strike (Art Stafford Jr.) and This Is It Sam (Eddie Davis Jr.) were second and third respectively.
The second $20,000 DSBF trot was taken by 11-1 shot Im So Striking, winning his first pari-mutuel start in 2:03.2. Eddie Dennis trains and drives the So Striking-Ringside Kate gelding for Lois and Earl Walters and E&K Stables. Left Alone Ranger (Corey Callahan) finished second. TZAR (John Gazzerro) took third.
The second DSBF colt prelims are set for next Sunday. The top eight point getters after two rounds race in $100,000 finals on Dec. 4.
(With files from Dover Downs)