A stakes-filled card featuring a long list of talented two-year-old highlighted Thursday’s Matron Stake day at Dover Downs.
Among the winners on the rich card was Ontario Sires Stakes star Aint Three OK. The daughter of Mach Three-Aint Given Up survived another tough trip to win her $170,000 assignment for the tandem of driver Brian Sears and trainer Steve Carter.
Aint Three OK got away fourth from the pole position while Big City Betty shot to the front and provided the field with an opening quarter clocked in :27. Planet Rock was parked and pressing that leader before eventually working to the top. Planet Rock hit the half in :55.4 while feeling first-over pressure from a starting up Aint Three OK.
The favourite continued to chip away from first-over, and she was just a nose behind Planet Rock who held the lead at the three-quarter pole in 1:24.3. Aint Three OK used a :28.1 closing panel to prevail by 2-1/4 lengths over Rockette in 1:52.4. World Apart took home third prize.
It was the fifth win of the season in 11 tries for Aint Three OK, who races under a lease to Chuck Grubbs of Louisville, KY. The talented lass lifted her cash stash to $334,300 with the win.
The trotting colt final went to Snowstorm Hanover, who pulled off a 5-1 upset in the $147,100 contest for driver Matt Kakaley and trainer Ron Burke.
The son of Muscle Massive-Snow Angel was content to get away fourth while Southwind Cobra and Sortie slugged it out to the quarter pole in :27.3. Race favourite Sortie worked his way to the top before taking the field to the half in :56.2. Snowstorm Hanover edged off the rail going to the mid-way point, and a strong surge in the third quarter earned her a narrow lead at the three-quarter marker in 1:25. Sortie battled back at the rail and regained a clear lead as the field turned into the stretch, but Snowstorm Hanover rallied home in :30.1 to win by a neck over Sortie in 1:55.1. Southwind Cobra took home the show dough.
Burke Racing Stable LLC, Frank Baldachino, Phillip Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC share ownership on the four-time winner who bumped his bankroll to $181,419 with the victory.
Fine Tuned Lady took home top honours in the $148,700 final for trotting fillies, and she did so for the team of driver Corey Callahan and trainer John Butenschoen.
Callahan had the favourite third and parked at the quarter, which was put up by Temple Ruins in :27.3. Fine Tuned Lady muscled past that foe and proceeded to lead the field through middle panels of :56.3 and 1:26.3. She trotted home in :30 to win by a neck over Ice Attraction in 1:56.3. Winter Sweet Frost was a lapped-on third.
The daughter of Cantab Hall-Poster Princess improved her rookie record to 6-5-0 from 12 trips to the track while her earnings soared to $438,250. The consistent campaigner is owned by William Wiswell and M And L Of Delaware Inc.
Whats Going On rallied from out of the clouds to win the final Matron Stake event, and in doing so he blew up the toteboard to the tune of 32-1 for driver David Miller and trainer Mark Harder.
The son of Roll With Joe-Shipps Xclamation got away fifth from Post 2 while odds-on favourite Boogie Shuffle blast to the top and had the field chasing him past the quarter pole in :26.4. Every Way Out made a big move in the second quarter and after clearing to the lead hustled the field past the half in :56. The Wall then circled up on the outside and showed a narrow lead over Every Way Out at the three-quarter station in 1:23.1. Miller was still sitting eighth with Whats Goin On heading into the final two furlongs, but the colt roared home in :28.3 en route to winning by a neck over Rock N Tony. Boogie Shuffle was a lapped-on third.
It was the third win in 11 starts for Whats Goin On, who is owned by Rick Phillips, VIP Internet Stable LLC, Deena Rachel Frost and Mark Harder. The youngster lifted his earnings to $172,367 with his come-from-behind tally.