The Matrons, the sport’s oldest continual stakes, will return during the first weekend of the 2010-11 Dover Downs season, which will begin with many of the sport's top two-year-olds racing on Saturday, November 6
followed by three Matron Three-Year-Old divisions and the start of the track’s signature event, the $350,000 (estimated) Progress Pace on Sunday.
The largest field of the elims presents 11 starters including an entry in the $54,650 Matron Colt Pace. Two starters required $20,000 fees to supplement. One is Lookinforadventure (Roger Plante), owned by Frank Bellino. The other, Feel Like A Fool, is teamed with Delaware-bred Three Martinis. Another First State bred Powerful Mist has won his last four in a row.
In the $45,575 Matron Filly Pace, Tight Pants (Vic Kirby), owned by Mel Hartman, David McDuffee and Irv Liverman, a six-time winner in 10 starts this year, leaves from the rail.
Rock Phillips’ Southwind Jazmin (Brian Sears) is the program choice in one first of two Matron freshmen paces. Chief rivals are Colt Mist (Mike Lachance), New Album (Mike Simons) and Krispy Apple, off fast qualifiers, making her first pari-mutuel start.
Myluvmylife (Mike Chance) drew the inside in the second division. I Kill Time (Ross Wolfenden) and Capri Hanover (Brian Sears) head the opposition.
Chapter Seven (mike Lachance), winner of the Harold Dancer at Freehold for his fifth consecutive win faces a strong Fashion Farms’ entry of Spring Goal (Brian Sears) and Way Back When (Jim Morand) in a $44,025 Matron Colt stake.
The Progress Pace tops the Sunday elims. The consistent Fred And Ginger (Tim Tetrick), Jimmy Takter-conditioned Rockin Image (Yannick Gingras) and BGs Folly (David Miller), along with the George-Teague-trained entry of Delmarvalous and Windfall Blue Chip lead a bulky field of 11.
One of the top trots of the season finds nine starters. The sharp Wishing Stone, supplemented to the event, Break The Bank K, Il Villaggio and Flex The Muscle (David Miller) are the most notable.
Saturday and Sunday post time is 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday racing begins at 5:30 p.m. No live racing on Friday. There is no charge for admission or parking at Dover Downs. Reservations are suggested for the Winner’s Circle Restaurant. Call 302-674-4600.
(Dover Downs)